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A 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 Religious Obfervation 
 
 OF THE 
 
 L O R D's D A Y, 
 
 Both Dodlrinal and Practical: 
 
 IN TWO PARTS. 
 
 Under the following Heads, viz. 
 
 J. The Grounds and Reafons of 
 the Obfervation of the Sab- 
 bath and hordes Day, 
 
 il. An Account of the Change 
 of the Day from the Seventh 
 to the Firji Day of the Week. 
 
 III. The Benefits and Advan- 
 tages, both to the Public, and 
 to private Perfons, from the 
 Devout and Religious Obfer- 
 vation of the Lord''s Day. 
 
 IV. The Particular Manner, in 
 which this Holy Da"^ ought to 
 be obferved by all Chriftians. 
 
 7^ 
 
 By ALEXANDER ^JEPHSON, A.B. 
 
 Recftor of Craike in the Diocefe of Durham, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed and Sold by Charles Jephson, next 
 Door to the Vine and Rummer Tavern in Weji-Smithjield; 
 
 M. DCC. XXXVII. 
 
^"B^^*:^ 
 
TO THE 
 
 Right Reverend Father in GOD, 
 
 EDWARD, 
 
 By Divine Providence, 
 
 Lord Bifliop of DURHAM. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 HAT lafcribethe 
 prefent Difcourle to 
 yourLordfhip, is not 
 in the lead owing to 
 a Principle of Vanity ; as if 
 I could poffibly imagine that 
 any Performance of mine could 
 
 A 2 be 
 
IV 
 
 DET>IcJriblS[. 
 
 bq wOrtlif of Your Regard 
 and PeruTal. But I am the 
 more embolden'd to offer it 
 to Your Lordlhip, as the bed 
 Return I can make for Your 
 Favours to me, not only from 
 Your Lordfliip's great Candour 
 (which is commonly equal to 
 Mens Judgments), but alio from 
 Your Extreme Readinefs to en- 
 courage all Endeavours which 
 are uled to promote the Honour 
 of GOD, and the Benefit of His 
 Church. And this was what 
 I had chiefly in my View, in 
 putting this Difcourle under 
 Your Lord 111 ip's Patronage, (the 
 Subject of which is a Point 
 wherein the Honour of G O D 
 and the Salvation of Mankind 
 are deeply concerned) fmce I 
 
 lliall 
 
Ihall have no Caufe to doubt of 
 it's good Succefs in the World, 
 if it Ihall meet with your I'a; 
 vour and Recommendation. Ancl 
 I am the more readily induced 
 to think it will obtain this Effe<5l 
 with Your Lordfliip, not only 
 from Your Kind Reception of 
 my little Ellay in Defenfe of 
 ChriJTs Miracles, and your 
 hearty Approbation of my En- 
 deavours in compofing the pre- 
 lent Treatife ; but alfo from the 
 Delign of the Difcourfe itkW, 
 which is a moil; Earneft Exhor- 
 tation to the Practice of that 
 Holy and Excellent Religion, 
 which your Lordlhip hath fb 
 unanfwerably Defended and Vin- 
 dicated. That it may pieaie 
 GOD long to continue and pre- 
 A 3 ferve 
 
vi DEDICATION. 
 
 ferve your Lord fliip's Life and 
 Health, for the Good of His 
 Church, and the Happinefs and 
 Delight of all Your Clergy, is 
 the hearty Prayer and Defire, 
 of 
 
 My Lordj 
 
 Your LorJJhip''Sj 
 
 Mofi Dutiful, 
 And mofi obliged, 
 
 Humble Servant. 
 
 Alexander Jephfoii. 
 
THE 
 
 PR EFACE 
 
 HERE will be no need, I prefume, 
 of making any Apology for pub- 
 lifhing a Difcourfe upon this Sub- 
 ject, the Religious Obfervation of 
 the Lord's Day ; fmce the Horrible 
 Profanation of this holy Seafon, is 
 now grown fo general and common, that no one 
 can poflibly be infenfible of it. And the Eearned 
 Dr Heylin hath fhewed that he was no Pro- 
 phet, when in Defenfe of his vindicating the 
 Lawfulnefs of Public Sports upon this Day, he 
 told King Charles I. that *' in fuch a Church as 
 " this, fo fettled in a conftant Pradlce of Reli- 
 " gious Offices, and fo confirmed by godly Ca- 
 *^ nons for the Performance of the lame, there 
 " was no fear, that ever x!aQ Lords Day (the Day 
 *^ appointed by God's Church for His public Ser- 
 " vice) would have been over-run by the Profane 
 " NegleB of any Pious Duties on that Day re- 
 " quired : But that the Danger rather was, left 
 " by the violent Torrent of fome Mens Affec- 
 A 4 " tions. 
 
viii The P R E F ji C E 
 
 " tions, it might have been overflown by thofe 
 '^ Super/lit mis, wherewith in Imitation of the 
 " Jews they began to charge it (^)". We have 
 now lived to fee the contrary, and that the Lords 
 Day 'v^over-run byProfanenefs infinitely more than 
 ever it was overfiown by Sfuperjiition, 'to ufe the 
 Doctor's own Expreffions. And indeed in fo Ihame- 
 fiil a Manner is this holy Day now profaned by 
 great Numbers of all Orders and Degrees of Men 
 among us, not only by the Negled: of attending 
 upon the Public Worlhip, but alfo by fpending 
 the whole Day in 'Travelling, in keeping of Com- 
 pany, and in ^worldly Bufinejs and Pleajure ; that 
 unlefs fome fpeedy Stop be put thereto by thofe 
 who are in Authority, the Chrijlian Religion will 
 be in great Danger of being Loft in this King- 
 dom ; and the greateft Part of our Youth v^rill 
 be corrupted in their Principles, and debauched 
 in their Morals, beyond all Recovery, to the In- 
 finite Mifchief and Damage of the whole Na- 
 tion. For thefe Reafons I have long thought, 
 that an ufeful Difcourfe upon this Subjedt would 
 be abfolutely NecefTary. And I waited a good 
 while, in hopes that fome Perfon of Worth 
 and Eminence would undertake it. But finding 
 ' nothing of this Nature done by any one, I was 
 refolved by God's Grace and Affiftance to fet 
 about it my felf. And as I freely acknowledge 
 that I am very unequal to the Undertaking, I 
 hope the Meannefs of this Performance will en- 
 gage fome other Perfon, to fupply the Defeds 
 thereof, who is of greater Abilities. And in cafe 
 
 any 
 
 {a) Dedication to his Hiltory of the Sabbath, p. 2, 5. 
 
"The P R E F A C E bz 
 
 any Man of good Learning and Judgment will 
 employ his Pains this way, and pubiiih fuch a 
 Treatife upon this Subjedl, as ihall prevail with 
 the Generality of Chrijlians to obferve the Lord's 
 Day Religioufly, both with regard to. the Public 
 and Private Duties thereof; I will make bold fo 
 far as to affure him, that he will do as much (if 
 not more) for the Honour of God, and the true 
 Interefl of Religion, as he can poffibly do, by 
 writing on any other Subjedt. 
 
 Having obferved thus much concerning the 
 Reafon and Neceffity of the prefent Undertaking, 
 I think it proper in the next place to give the 
 Reader fome Account of the Work itfelf ; that 
 he may the better perceive what he is to exped 
 from it, and that it may be the more ufeful and 
 beneficial to him. The Book is divided into 
 Two Parts. The firft Part confifts of Three 
 Chapters. In the firft of which, I have treated 
 largely and diftindly concerning the Grounds 
 and Reafons of the Obligation of the Sabbatb 
 and Lord's Day. And I am well affured that I 
 have alledged nothing in Defence of my Hypo- 
 thefis^ but what is plainly contained in Holy 
 Scripture, and fupported by the Authority of the 
 greateft and wifeft Men, both of Ancient and 
 Modern Times. I am fenfible indeed, there are 
 fome confiderable Difficulties upon this Head, 
 which (as it hath happened in other Cafes) have 
 caufed very Learned and Good Men to differ 
 from each other ; all which I have endeavoured 
 to clear up and explain as well as I can. But 
 however. Let Men entertain what Opinion they 
 pleafe in this Matter : Whether the Obfervation 
 
 of 
 
X 7he P R EF A C E. 
 
 of the Sabbath be a Law given to all Mankind 
 in Ge?2, ii. which is the General Opinion ; or, as 
 others think, that It was not given till the Time 
 of Mojesy and then only to the Jews : Whether 
 the Law of the Sabbath as delivered in Exod, xx. 
 be a Moral Law which binds all Chrijliam ; or 
 whether we have no Authority for the Obligation 
 of a Sabbath Day but from the New 'Tejia?nent : 
 And as to That ; whether we are bound to obferve 
 the Lord's Day by virtue of our Bleffed Saviours 
 dired: Authority and Command, as fome affirm ; 
 or as others, that the Lord's Day is enjoined on- 
 ly by Apoftolical Inftitution and Practice -, or as 
 others ftill aflert, that the Obligation thereof is 
 wholly to be refolved into Ecclefiaftical Autho- 
 rity and Conftitution (All which Hypothefes are 
 fully confiicred in the faid Chapter): I fay, what- 
 ever Opinion any Man fhall be of in this Mat- 
 ter, I will not in the leaft, contend with him ; 
 Provided, that he will take due Care to obferve 
 the Lords Day Religioufly, both with regard to 
 the Public and Private Duties of it. For this is 
 the main Thing that I am concerned about, and 
 which all the Laws of God and Man, refpeding 
 the Sabbath^ are defigned to advance. I have 
 nothing farther to add upon this, Head, but that 
 I am fenfible the Paflages of the Greek Poets (in 
 p. 15, i^,)iQxmtx\y QAicAhy AriftobuIus2inAlexan'' 
 drian Jew, and by Clem. Alex, and others, in Proof 
 Tradition of the Sabbath Day was handed down 
 to their Times 5 have been thought by fome 
 Learned Men, to relate wholly to the feventh 
 Day of the Month which was celebrated by the 
 Greeks in Honour of Apollo. It would be of no 
 
 Confequence 
 
ne P R E F A C E. xi 
 
 Confequence to my Argument, if this could be 
 proved never lo clearly : Since the Authority of 
 the Sabbath does net depend upon the Teftimo-- 
 ny of the Greek Poets, but on That of Holy 
 Scripture. And the only Reafon of my urging 
 thofe Teftimonies -, was to fhew (in Oppofition 
 to fiich Perfons who derive the firft Inftimtion of 
 the Sabbath from the Law given to the Jews by 
 Mojes in the Book of Exodus) that the Sabbath 
 is not only plainly appointed by God at the 
 Creation of the World (in Ge?2. ii.), but alfo, that 
 on any other Suppofition, there can no Rational 
 Account be given of that Cuftom, which pre- 
 vailed among the moft ancient and diftant Na- 
 tions (many of v/hich had no Correfpondence 
 with the Jews) of computing their Time by 
 Weeks ^ and obferving every Jeventh Day and 
 keeping it Holy. And this being a Matter of 
 fome Weight and Confequence to my Argument, 
 I could not omit to take notice of thofe Paf- 
 fages of the Greek Poets, which plainly favour it ; 
 tho' I do not think any great Strefs is to be laid 
 upon them. And becaufe many Learned Men 
 both Ancient and Modern are of Opinion that 
 thofe Paffages of the Greek Poets do all of them 
 relate equally to the Obfervation of the Sabbath 
 Day^ I have therefore thought proper to produce 
 them altogether ; tho' I freely own that I think 
 it more than probable, that the firft of them 
 (that of Hejiod) hath Reference only to the fe* 
 venth Day of the Month, which was held Sa- 
 cred to Apollo (b). But however that be ; the fol- 
 lowing 
 
 {b) Vid. He/tod, Oper. & Dier, L 770, 771. cum ClerigL. 
 Aniiotat. in loc. 
 
xii The. PREFACE, 
 
 lowing Teftimonies as there cited, cannot poffi-? 
 bly appertain to that Matter, but relate only to 
 ^he Cuftom of Celebrating the feventh Day qf 
 the Week in Memory of the Creation, as will 
 clearly be fhewn in it's proper Place. And this 
 i^ in EfFeft acknowledged by Dr Heylin himfelf 
 (tho he hath done all that lies in him to weaken 
 and deftroy the Force of thofe Teftimonies) ; for 
 he grants that the Gentiles knew that the Seventh 
 Day on which the World and all Things therein 
 were made, had a Pi^ivilege and was hallowed 
 above other Days, But then he contends, that 
 they did not derive this Knowledge from the 
 Light of Nature^ but from the Holy Bible, 
 which he imagines the Ancient Poets might 
 have confulted (c^ (which is a Conceffion of the 
 utmoft Service and Advantage to my Argument) 
 amongft themfelves^and that the ancientP^/^^z/zi did 
 notobferve thtjeventh Day more than any other y 
 which is more than he or any one elfe can 
 prove [d). 
 
 After having thus enquired into the Grounds 
 and Reafons of obferving one Day in every Week 
 in Memory of the Creation ^ and of the Rejiir- 
 reSion of ^ejus Chriji-, I proceed in the next place 
 to fhew the Neceffity and Obligation oi JmBi^ 
 fying this Day, and keeping it Holy; the Reafons 
 of which are in the fame place fully Confidered. 
 
 In the fecond Chapter, I have fhewn the 
 Grounds and Reafons of the Change of the Sab-^ 
 bath Day^ from ihtSeve?2th to the Firji Day of , 
 
 the 
 
 fc) Heylin's Hiftory of the Sabbath^ Part I. chap. iv. §. 9, 
 (d) Vid. Bifiiop StiUngfleeV^ Irmkum^, Jib. i. tap. v,p, 97. 
 
<rhe P R E F ji't E. xm 
 
 the Week j theNeceffity of which, the Reader 
 will there clearly perceive. And in the farhef 
 place, I have Refuted the Chief and Principal 
 Objedion, which is urged by the Jews againfl: 
 the Chrijlian Revelation, which is drawn from 
 the Eternity and Unchangeablenefs of the Jewijh 
 Sabbath and Priefthood, ' ^ 
 
 In the third Chapter, I have difplayed the 
 many and great Advantages, which would re- 
 dound to the Public, as well as to private Per- 
 fons, from a Conftant and Devout Obfervation 
 ^of the Lord's Day : Concerning which I have 
 nothing further to add here, but that I hope all 
 Perfons will be induced and prevailed upon there- 
 by to the Regular Pradlice of this great Duty. ' 
 
 From hence I proceed to the fecond Part, 
 which is to enquire in what Manner this Holy 
 Day ought to be obferved by all good Chrijlia7ts. 
 And this I have fhewn to be, by attending Re- 
 gularly and Conftantly upon the Public Worfhip, 
 and by fpending fome Confiderable Part of the 
 remaining Time in the Private Religious Duties 
 thereof, fuch as Reading the Holy Scriptures, 
 the Meditation upon Divine Things, the Exa- 
 mination of their Lives and Adlions, and the In- 
 ftrudion of their Children and Families. And 
 I have nothing further to obferve upon this Head, 
 but only to acquaint the Reader with the Me- 
 thod in which I have drawn up this fecond Part j 
 which I forefee will be liable to this Objedion, 
 viz. that lince my Defign in this Treatile, is to 
 Eftablifh the Necefllty of a Devout Obfervation 
 of the Lords Day^ by attending upon the Pub- 
 lic Worlhip, and.perf9jrming the other Religious 
 
 . Dutici 
 
xiv The PREFACE. 
 
 Duties of the Day, fuch as Reading the Scrip- 
 tures, Divine Meditation, and the like, it would 
 have been fufficient to this Defign, to have fhewn 
 that all Ckrifiians are bound to pradtice theje Du- 
 ties at this Holy Seafon ; and not to have largely 
 confidercd the Grounds and Reafons of the Ob- 
 ligation of thofe Duties, and to prove that they 
 are Neceffary and EiTential Parts of Religion, as 
 I have done : Vv hich feems to be quite foreign 
 to my Purpofe. In anfwer to v^^hich, Ifhail only 
 ailedge thus much, i^iz. that there were two 
 Reafons which feemed to me very ftrong and 
 cogent, which induced me to follow this Method. 
 The Firjl Reafon was, That in this Sceptical 
 and Disputing Age, w^hen too many Perfons fet 
 up their Reafon as the Sole Meafure and Stan- 
 dard of Truth, it would be in vain to perfwade 
 them to the Pradice of thefe Religious Duties at 
 any Seafon, unlefs we can firft convince them of 
 the abfolute Neceffity and Obligation of thefe 
 Duties 3 and that they are of the utmoft Con- 
 fequence and Importance to their true Happinefs. 
 And in the Second Place, As this Difcourfe is 
 chiefly defigned for the Ufe of the Common 
 People, I thought that the moft likely Means to 
 prevail upon them, to perform thele Religious 
 Duties on the Lora^ Day (who have for the 
 moft Part, no other Seafon and Opportunity for 
 the Exercife of them), would be to fhew them 
 clearly and plainly, that they are all Neceffary 
 and Effential Duties of Religion, and as jiich, 
 cannot be neglecSted without the Ruin and De- 
 ftrudion of their Immortal Souls : And alfo 
 that it would be of great Service to "many of 
 
 them 
 
"The PREFACE. xv 
 
 them, to give them fome plain and ufeful Di- 
 rediions, how and in what Manner they might 
 beft perform thofe Duties. And moreover, there 
 are feveral Pernicious Doctrines lately advanced 
 among us, which have a very fatal Effect and 
 Influence upon Piety and Religion -, and there- 
 fore I confidered with my felf, that it would be 
 n fruitlefs Attempt to exhort Men to the Pra- 
 <3Ace of true Piety upon the Lord's Day, unlefs 
 we cculd clearly fhew them the Folly and Ab- 
 furdicy of fuch Doctrines. Thus for Inflance, 
 It is a Principle ftrenuoufly propagated and 
 greedily received by great Numbers of Men in 
 the Kingdom, and efpecially by Perfons of 
 Fafbion and DifiinBion, that Religion does wholly 
 confift in- Moral and Social Duties, as they call 
 them j and that as God does not want our 
 Prayers, fo He does not require them of us. And 
 in virtue of this Priiiciple, the Public Worfhip 
 of God, is moft ihamefully negle(flcd by many 
 Perfons, and ridiculed and defpifed by others, to 
 the great Difhonour of God, and the Danger 
 of Mens Souls. For this Reafon, when in the 
 Firft Chapter of this Second Part, I was treating 
 upon this great Duty of the Lord's Day, (the 
 Attendance upon the Public Worfliip), I thought 
 it abfolutely necelTary in order to make Men 
 fcnfible of the Duty, to expofe the Weaknefs 
 and Abfurdity of this Principle \ and to fhew 
 clearly, that the Public Worfhip of God is as 
 NeceiTary and ElTential to Religion, as Moral 
 Duties, nay, and to fpeak propei ly, that it is 
 even a Chief and Principal Part of Morality 
 itfelf .: And confequently, that it cannot be neg- 
 
 leaed 
 
xvi "The P R E F A C E. 
 
 lecfted and defpifed by any Man, without the 
 manifeft Hazard and Danger of Salvation. 
 
 And fo likewife in the following Chapter, 
 concerning the Reading the Holy Scriptures ; as 
 there are fome Writings lately publiflied, which 
 are in great Vogue, which have ferved the Caufe 
 ci Pvpery (whether the Authors had any fuchEx- 
 prefs Defign in publilliing them, I will not fay), 
 by vilifying and difparaging the Holy Scriptures, 
 and reprefenting them as obfcure and unintelligi- 
 ble y I thought it would be to little purpofe to 
 perfwade Men to read the Scriptures, unlefs I 
 could convince them that it would be worth 
 their while to employ themfelves in this Exer- 
 cife, and that by due Care and Diligence they 
 may attain to a true Senfe and Knowledge of 
 tliem. . For which Reafon, I have not only con- 
 iidered the NecefTary Duty of Reading the Scrip- 
 tures, and the Sin and Danger of neglecfling it, 
 but have alfo displayed fome of the nia7iy Beau- 
 ties and PerfeBions with which the Holy Wri- 
 tings abound : and have fhewn, that (fetting afide 
 the Divine Authority and Infpiration of the Ho- 
 ly Scriptures) there are more and greater Excel- 
 lencies and Perfed:ions to be found in them, 
 than in the very beji of all Human Compofitions. 
 And I have alfo laid down fome plain and ufeful 
 Rules, by the due and careful Obfervation of 
 which, Men may attain to the true Knowledge 
 of them, in all fuch Points, as are NecefTary to 
 their Happinefs and Salvation. And the fam.e 
 Method I have followed in other Parts of this 
 Difcourfe -, i. e, I have not only ihewn the Rea- 
 der the Neceffity and Advantage of the Duties 
 
 there 
 
'"The P k E F A C E. xvii 
 
 there recommended to him ; but alfo the more 
 firmly to eftablifh them, I have endeavoured to 
 anfwer and refute the Objections and Cavils^ 
 which Infidels and profane Writers have urged 
 againft them. And I very freely own, that I have 
 not been fo much concerned to obferve the nice 
 and exad: Rules of Method, in the prelent Difl 
 courfe, as to render it of Ufe and Service to thofe 
 for whom it was chiefly deiigned. And if this 
 Treatife fhould happen to fall into the Hands of 
 any Perfons who are of greater Underftanding 
 and Experience, to whom the feveral Rules and 
 Diredions therein given maybe entirely needlefs; 
 1 hope they wdll the more readily excufe them, 
 lince they may be of great Service and Advan- 
 tage to other Men. And they may eafily pals 
 ' them by, and dwell the longer upon fuoh Parts 
 of the Book, as ma^ be more ufeful and benefi- 
 cial to themfelves. 
 
 Having thus Aewn the Manner in which the 
 Lord\ Day ought to be obferved, both with re- 
 gard to the Public and Private Duties thereof; that 
 what is here laid down, may not fesm too harfh 
 and rigorous, I have endeavoured to qualify the 
 feeming Stricftnefs and Severity of it, by {hewing 
 with what Reftridlions and Limitations it is to 
 be underftood : the better to guard agalnfl the 
 Extreme of Super jiit ion as well as Profanene/s. 
 And becaufe the Religious Obfervation of this 
 Holy Day, is too often charged with Fajiaticijm 
 or Enthiifiafm -, in. order to expofc the Rajhneji 
 and Folly of this Charge, I have In the Jaft place 
 endeavoured to fhew, that the Dodtrine which 
 JS delivered in this Difcourfe, is not only plainly 
 
 a founded 
 
xvlli "The PREFACE. 
 
 founded in the Nature and Reafon of Things,!: 
 and the clear Teftimony of Holy Scripture -, but 
 is alfo perfectly agreeable to the Senfe and Judg- 
 ment of the wifeft and beft of Men, both in the 
 former and latter Ages of the Chrijiian Church. 
 I have nothing more to add, but to beg of 
 God, to give a Bieffing to this Work, and to 
 incline the Hearts of all Men, .and elpecially 
 thofe who are in Authority and Eminent Sta- 
 tions, to ufe their befl Endeavours to promote 
 the Religious Obfervation of the Lord% Day : 
 Since there is nothing which they can do, which 
 will tend more to the Honour of God, and the 
 prefent and future Happinefs of Mankind. • And 
 if any of my Readers fhall receive fo much Be- 
 nefit from thisDifcourfe, as to be prevailed upon 
 thereb)fc to obferve this Holy Day more devoutly 
 and religioufly than they had been ufed to do ; 
 let them give God the Praife and Glory, and I 
 have the End which I aimed at in the Pub- 
 lication. 
 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 The Introduction. 
 
 GOD to he puhlickly worfiipped, as our Creator and 
 Governour^ Page i 
 
 I'his a necejjary 'Token of our Dependency upoi 
 Bim^ p. 2 
 
 Allowed hy Hobbs as well as others^ ibid. 
 
 CHAP. i. 
 
 Concerning the Obligation of obferving one Day in 
 
 every Week, and keeping it Holy. 
 The Lord's Day may he properly called Sunday or the 
 
 Sabbath, p. 6, 7 
 
 The Law of Nature reoyires that GcdfJjould he puhlickly 
 
 worfhipped P- 8. 
 
 The Time of that tVorfhlp may jujlly he determined hy Civil 
 
 and Ecclefiafiical Authority^ ' ibid. 
 
 The Ohfervation of the Sabbath required of all Mankind^ 
 
 in Gen. ii. 3, p. 9 
 
 The true Notion of fan^fifying the Sabbath, ibid, 
 
 Archhifhop Bramhall'i Inter^^retatton of this Text, refuted^ 
 
 ibid* 
 The Notion 'that this Command was given hy Anticipatio/iy 
 
 refuted, " p. lO, it 
 
 The Silence of Scripture no Proof that the Patriarchs did 
 
 not chferve the SdbhdXhDdiY'^ P- ^^^ ^3 
 
 a a Th€ 
 
XX The G O N T E N T S. 
 
 ^he mofi antient Nations compute their Time hy Weeks ^ and 
 honour the Seventh Bay^ Page 15, &c. 
 
 Sloe Greek Poets affirm the Seventh Day to be held/acred 
 in Memory of the Crtmon^ p. 15, 16 
 
 The Patriarchs probably obferved the Sabbath Day, 
 
 In what Senfe the antient Fathers affirm^ that the Pa- 
 triarchs did not keep the Sabbath Day, p. 17. 18 
 
 The Obfervation of the Sabbath Day not derived from the 
 Number of the feven Planets^ p. 18, &c. 
 
 The f event h Day which was obferved by all Nations , not 
 the feventh Day of the Months but the feventh Day 
 of the Week^ p. 20, &c. 
 
 This proved from Jofephus, Philo, and other Writers, 
 
 p. 21, 22 
 
 The Law of the Sabbath adopted hy Chrift into the Mo- 
 ral Law of His Gojpel, p. 2 4 
 
 No Obje^ion to this that the Command of the Sabbath is not 
 cxprdsly mentioned by our Saviour, p. 24, 25 
 
 // is ujual in Scripture to fignify the whole of Religion by a 
 Part of it, ibid. 
 
 The Reafon why our Lord when requiring the Obfervation 
 of the Ten Commandments, mentioned only thofe of the 
 Second Table, p. 25, 26 
 
 By the Ten Co?nmandf?ients there -mentioned, the whole De- 
 calogue is iinderfiood, p. 26 
 
 That the Law of the Sabbath is binding to Chrift ians, is 
 in EffeEi allowed by Archbifhop Bramhall, P- 27 
 
 Tho* Chrift ians are obliged to keep the Sabbath, they are 
 not bound to keep it on the fame Day of the Week which 
 the Jews did, p. 27, 28 
 
 The Grounds of the Sabbath as delivered to the Jews two- 
 fold, p. 28 
 
 The Law of the Sabbath in Exod. xx. no new Law,^ but 
 an old Law renewed and re-eflahlifhed, - ibid. 
 
 • // is ufualwith God to renew the Obligation of His Lazvs in 
 Scripti&e^ " p- 29 
 
 14 
 
The C O N T E N T S. xxi 
 
 In what Senfe the Sabbath is /aid to he a Sign between God 
 
 and the Children ef Ifrael, Page 30, 31 
 
 'The Reafon why our Saviour did not exprefsly abrogate the 
 
 Jewifh Sabbath, ^ P- 33 
 
 ^he Church of England vindicated^ as to the inferting the 
 
 Fourth Com?nandment^ and the Petition thereto annexed^ 
 
 into her Communion Service^ P* 34 
 
 The Interpretation given of this Matter by Br Heylin re- 
 futed, p. 35^ &c. 
 The Obligation of obferving every fevmth Bay^ from the 
 
 Emmple of our Saviour and the Apoflles, p. 40 
 
 The E'xprejfion after Eight Days in the Jewifh Language^ 
 
 fignifies a Week, ?• 4i> ^c. 
 
 The Apoftles invefted with Legijlative Authority under the 
 
 Gdfpelof Chrift, p. 45> 4^ 
 
 Their Univerfal Judgment and Pra5lice a fujficient DiJ- 
 
 covery of the Mind and Will of Chrift, p. 46 
 
 The Judgment of Archbifhop Bramhall, Bijhop Taylor^ 
 
 nnd others on this Point, p. 46, &c. 
 
 The Apoftles immediately directed by the Holy Ghoft in their 
 
 Religious Determinations, P» 48 
 
 They had the Authority and DireSfions of Chrift, in the 
 
 Appointment of the Times and Places of Divine Worjhip ; 
 
 as is affirmed by Clemens Romanus, ibid. 
 
 Ihey did not exprefsly abrogate the Jewifti Sabbath, and 
 
 why, ibid. 
 
 The Primitive Chriftians univerfally obferve the Lord's 
 
 Day, p. 49 
 
 They keep the Day of the Jewifh Sabbath alfo, and why^ 
 
 ibid. 
 The Sabbath or Lord's Day to be kept holy, p, 50 
 
 The San£iification of this Day does not confijl in a bare Reft 
 
 from Bodily "Labour, . P« 5<^ 
 
 It is to be employed in God's Public Worjhip and Religious 
 
 Duties, P- 51 
 
 The Jews kept their Sabbath in this Manner before the 
 
 Babylonian Captivity^ p. 52, ^c. 
 
 a 3 lI^Qctber 
 
xxii The CONTENTS. 
 
 Whether the Jews had any Synagogues or not before the 
 Captivity^ douhtful^ Page c^^ 
 
 ^hey had Places for Public JVorjUp and reading of the 
 Law^ long before that T'ime, P- 5^ 
 
 fhefe thought to be as early as the 'Times of the Judges^ 
 
 ibid. 
 
 'there were probably fuch Places of Religious JVorJhip in 
 the Days of Abraham, ibid. 
 
 In what Refpe5is they differed from the Synagogues, 
 
 P- 57 
 
 there is mention made of them in the New Teilament, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 *lhe Law appointed to be read on the Sabbath Day by 
 
 Mofes himfelf, as attefled by Jofephus and Philo, 
 
 p. 58 
 
 the Jews after the Captivity, and the Pri?nitive Chrif- 
 
 tians very flri^l in the Obfervation of the Sabbath afid, 
 
 Lord's Day, p. 59 
 
 the Application, p. 60, 61 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Concerning the Change of the Day from tht feventh to 
 
 thtfirfl Day of the Week. 
 the Sabbath not neceffarily to be kept on Saturday, as the 
 
 Sabbatarians fuppofe, p. 62, 6^ 
 
 the Jewifli Sdhhiih grounded on the Deliverance from the 
 
 Land of ^gypt, p. 63 
 
 By what Sign the Day of the Sabbath was difcovered to the 
 
 Jews, p. 64 
 
 the Jewifh Sabbath abolifhed by the Death of Chrift, 
 
 p. es 
 
 the Lord's Day henceforward cbferved in Memory of 
 
 Chrift\s RefurreBion, ibid. 
 
 the great P>.cafonablenefs of that Obfervation, ibid„ 
 
 I<!o Neceffity of an e>:prefs Precept ^Chrifl or His Apojiks 
 
 for the Abrogation of the Jewifh Sabbath, p. 66^ 6y, 
 
 the 
 
The CONTENTS. xxiii 
 
 ^e Obfervation of the Sabbath on any Particular Day 
 of the Week above the other only Circumftantial, 
 
 Page 6^ 
 '^his in Effect acknowledged ly Archhijhop Bramhail, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ^he Law of Mofes notvhUgatory upon us Chriftians, 
 
 p. 6^ 
 'The InjunBion of the Apofiks in A6ls xv. 29. explained^ 
 
 p. 69, 70 
 ^The Obje^ion drawn from the Eternity of the Law of 
 
 Mofes, anfwered^ P-'?!^ ^c. 
 
 Li what Senfe the Jewifh Sabbath and Priefthood are 
 
 to he everlafting, P- 72, ys 
 
 jChat the Law of Mofes was to be abrogated by the Mef- 
 
 fiah, 'proved from the Prophecies of the Old Tejlament, 
 
 P-72, 7^ 
 
 The Te?nple at Jerufalem deflroyed by Titus -, and the 
 
 Jews difperfed according to Chriil'5 Predictions p. 73 
 Julian the Apoflate endeavours t.o rebuild the Jewifh Temple^ 
 
 and why^ p. 73, 74 
 
 His Defign defeated by a dreadful Interpofition of God's 
 
 Providence^ P- 74 
 
 fhe Word Everlafting often ufed in Scripture and profane 
 
 Writers for a finite and fhort Duration^ V- 7 o 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Concerning the Benefits and Advantages of a Reli- 
 gious Obfervation of the Lord^s Day. 
 Firft, It is the great eft 'Means under God's Providence of 
 keeping up a Senfe of God and Religion in the Worlds 
 
 p. 78 
 
 Divine Meditation the Life of Religion ^ ibid^ 
 
 The Negle5l of this the true Caufe of the Impiety and 
 
 Wickednefs that abounds in the Worlds p. 79 
 
 4^ Excellent Obfervation of Dean Prideaux to this Purpofdy 
 
 p. 80, 81 
 Secondly, 
 
xxiv The C O N T E N T S. 
 
 Secondly, // is the fur eft Method to procure the Divine 
 ; Ble/Jing and Froteclion^ Page 8 1 
 
 "The Benefit of Prayer^ efpe daily Puhlic Prayer^ con- 
 /uiered, p. 8i, 82 
 
 Thirdly, // does in the greateft Meafure promote the 
 ^- Inter efts of Human Society^ as by this Means all Men 
 ^■^may be fully inftru^ed in their Chriftian Duty. p. 
 ^:: • S2, 8^ 
 
 ^he right Notions of Religion zchich many even of the' 
 - common People have^ chiefly owing to Public Preachings 
 ' p. 84 
 
 Fourthly, It is of the greateft Conftquence to every Par- 
 ticular Perfon in the Grand Concernment of his own Sal- 
 vation, Firft, On Account of the Benefit of Public 
 ^'IVorfidip. p. 84. Secondly, I^he Opportunity of hear- 
 ting the Word preached, p. 85. Thirdly, 'The Advan- 
 tages of Divine Meditation ^ ' p. 86. 
 
 Contemplation the greateft Hap pine fs andPerfe^ion of Man^ 
 
 ibid. 
 
 Without the Exercife of Divine Meditation Religion cannot 
 
 pofjlbly fubfift, p. 87 
 
 PART 11. 
 
 Introduction. 
 
 Coittaining a general Account of the Manner in which the 
 Lord's Day is -to be obftrved^ p. ^^ 
 
 CHAP. I 
 
 Concerning the Duty of attending upon the Public 
 
 Worfhip. 
 
 ^he Reafon of the Necefftty ofinfifting upon this Duty^ p. 9 1 
 
 The Public IVorfbp of God hath in all Ages of the World 
 
 been thought effential to Religion ^ P» 93 
 
 .fhe Judgment of the ancient Philofophers upon this PoinL 
 
 ibid. 
 No 
 
The CONTENTS, xxv 
 
 jVJ? Obje^icn to their ^eftimony that they placed the heft and 
 moft acceptable Worjhvp of God inPurity of Mind, Page 94 
 
 ^he Holy Scriptures have judged^ in the fame Manner, tho* 
 they have fully cftaUiJhed the Neceffity of that Worjhip^ 
 
 P- 9S 
 <the Philofophers did not ohje^l againft the Gentile Rites and 
 
 Sacrifices ,- hut on the Account of their Superftition and 
 
 . Impurity^ P- 9^ 
 
 T!he Heathen Priefts taught no Morality, and why, p. 
 
 9^' 97 
 
 'Jhe Public Exersife of Religion eftaUifhed in all Nations 
 
 hy Civil Sanciions^ p. 9 5 
 
 fhe Neceffity and Ufefulnefs of this acknowledged by Atheifts 
 
 themfelves ibid. 
 
 ^he remarkable Teflimonies of Hobbs, Machiavel and 
 
 Varro, upon this Heady p. ^(j 
 
 God hath made txpr^fs Provifion in Holy Scripture for His 
 
 PuhJic Worjhip^ p. loo 
 
 He determined the Jewifh Rites and Ceremonies Himfelf 
 
 with the utmoft Stri5lnefs and Pun5iuality, ibid, 
 
 God hath not done fo under the Gofpel, and why, ibid. 
 I'his, no ObjeBion to the Necejftty of fuchWorfloip, p. lor 
 The Unity of the Church cannot he maintained without Pub- 
 
 licWorfhipy p. 102 
 
 "ihe Injunftions of our Gonjernours, as to the Times and 
 
 Places of Public Worfhtp are necefjarily to he obeyed^ 
 
 .p. 103 
 Morality will not be available to Salvation without Public 
 
 Worfhtp, p. I04 
 
 The Necejfity of enforcing this Ohfervation, ibid. 
 
 Mens Honefty juftly to he fufpehed who make no Public 
 
 Profejfion of Religion, ibid. 
 
 The Public IVorfljip of God an Effential Part of Religion. 
 
 p. 105 
 This demonflrated from the Relation we bear to God^ 
 
 p. 107 
 Natural Religion neceffarily requires Public Worfhip^ 
 
 p. 1065 107 
 It 
 
gxvi; The CONTENTS. 
 
 Jt.,is^a Principal Part of Morality it f elf. Page 1 08 
 
 1^/what Senfe the Exercife of Charity is to he preferred he- 
 fore it^ ' p. 109, no 
 
 ^he Negle^ of Public Worjhip will expofe Men to the 
 Judgment of God^ p. no, he 
 
 ^n Excellent Obfervafion of the ArxhUfhop of Cambray to 
 t-)is Purpofe^ p. Ill, 112 
 
 'ihe Grace of God*s Spirit neceffary to a good Life, p. 113. 
 
 iT/ii acknowledged by Jews and Heathens, ibid. 
 
 Public Worjhip neceffary to the obtaining the Holy Spirit^ 
 
 ^{^:..:A u. . v:^ ^ p. 114 
 
 ^he bejl ana moft righteous Men in all Ages have been 
 remoj'kable for their Attendance on the Public Worjkipy 
 
 p. 115 
 
 Our Blefjed Saviour ftngidarly e7?iinent and remarkable for 
 
 the Praulice of this Duty^ p.. 1 1 5, 116 
 
 Private Devotion and Reading on the Lord's Day, no 
 
 • Excuje for abfenting from Public Worjhip., p, 1 1 8 
 
 ^he great Regard which -pious and good Men have always 
 
 .Jhewn for the Public Worjhip^ p. up, &:c. 
 
 *Ihe Primitive Chriftians fubniit to grievous Perfecutiom 
 
 rather than 7ieglect the Public Worjhip^ p. 122 
 
 i'pe Application^ p. 123, &c. 
 
 C H A P. II' 
 
 Concerning the Duty of Reading the Holy Scriptures, 
 
 IheJ'^eceJfity of this Duty conJJered^ p. 128, &c. 
 
 "■The antient Jews had the utjuofl Veneration for the Holy 
 
 Scriptures., P* 131 
 
 'The great Zeal of the modern Jews in the reading of them., 
 
 ibid. 
 "the Primitive Chriflians very diligent in this Exerdfe^ 
 
 p. 132 
 
 ^ hey fubmit to the mofl grievous Perfecutiom and Deaths 
 
 rather than furrender their Bibles^ ibid. 
 
 ^he great Value which our Anceflours in this Kingdom fet 
 
 upon the Scriptures y p. i33 
 
 'Hhere 
 
The CONTENTS. xxni 
 
 fhere are three great Advantages of reading the Scriptures^ 
 Firft, We are hereby made acquainted with cur whole 
 
 Duty^ and the Motives to the Praffice ofity Page 134, 
 
 &c. 
 ^he Ancient Pagans doubtful of a Future State, p. 136". 
 An Excellent Paffage of Bijhop Gibfon to this Purpofe^ 
 
 P' '^37 
 Secondly, By the reading of the Scriptures we may judge 
 
 of the "Truth in Controverftes of Religion, p. 136, &c. 
 ^his approved of by Chrift and His Apoftles^ P- 1 3 S 
 
 ihe true Senfe of Scripture to be found out by a fincere 
 
 Study of it ^ P- I39> 150 
 
 No Argument againfi this that many wife and good Men 
 
 differ from each other in the Interpretation of Scripture ^ 
 
 p. 140, &cj 
 ^ he Church of Rome more peculiarly Faulty in this Par ^ 
 
 ticular^ p. 143, &c. 
 
 Rules by which a Man may judge of his own Sincerity in the 
 
 reading of Scripture^ p. 1 5 1 , 152 
 
 Rules to be obferved for Underfianding the true Do^rine of 
 
 Scripture^ p. 153, &c. 
 
 JVe mufi not fet up our own Reafonings in Oppofttion to ex- 
 
 prefs Declarations of Scripture^ p. 164, &c. 
 
 A moft ufeful Example given us in this Matter by our Blef- 
 
 y^J Saviour, p. 166 
 
 The third Advantage of reading the Scriptures confifis in the 
 
 prefent Pleafure and Satlsfa5iion in the perufal of theniy 
 
 p. 168 
 The Holy Scripture^ beftdes it's Infpiration^ excells all other 
 
 Writings whatfoever^ in fever al Refpe^s^ As^ 
 Firft, The Holy Bible is the moft ancient of all other Books ^ 
 
 p. 168 
 The Integrity of Mofes confidered^ p. 169 
 
 The pretended Antiquity of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, 
 
 and Chmt{t fabulous^ ibid. 
 
 The Mofaic Hftory of great Ufe and Advantage in two Re- 
 
 fpeEls^ Firft, In clearly difcovering to us that God created 
 
 this World y p. 1 70 
 
 The 
 
Ixviii Tlie e d T^ T E N T S. 
 
 ^be ahfurd Notions of the ancient Phihfophers in this Mat- 
 ter^ Page 170, 171 
 Secondly, In Jhewing as the true Ground of the Corrup- 
 tion of our Nature and the Remedy thereof^ p. 172 
 ^he DoElrine of the ^ranjmgration of Souls owing to the 
 Ignorance of this Pointy ibid. 
 Secondly, T^oe Hijlory of the Bible is more ufeful and en- 
 tertaining than any other Hiftory^ p. 173, &c. 
 It gives us a more fenfihle Manifeftation of God's Provi- 
 dence, and Gov eminent of Mankind, p. 175, &c. 
 Thirdly, We have a more perfe^ ^yft^J^ of Moral Pre- 
 cepts in Holy Scripture than is to he found in any other 
 Writings, p. 17S 
 ^he We able fs of the Old Philofophy in this Refpe5f,confidered^ 
 
 p. 179 
 
 Many horrid Vices jujiified by the ancient Philofophers, and 
 
 allowed of by the Laws of Pagan Nations, p. 1 80 
 
 The W'ritings of Philofophers improved and enriched by the 
 
 Holy Scriptures, p. 182 
 
 ^he Chriilian Morality compleat anddigejled into one regular 
 
 Syftem, ibid. 
 
 Fouithly, There is a much greater Strength of Reafon-^ 
 
 ing, and more fiihlime I'houghts and Eloquent Expreffons 
 
 ■in Scripture than' in any Human Writings, 183, &c. 
 
 The' Excellency of our Saviour's Parables confidered, p. 
 
 ^Viiv 186, &c. 
 
 Tie'Xjfe of Parables very antient, p. 188, 189 
 
 Ifhe great Sin and Banger of negle5ling to read the Holy 
 
 •Scrimures, . p. 197, &c. 
 
 C'i'AP. III. 
 
 Concerning the Duty of Divine Meditation. 
 
 Thje Necejfily of Divine Meditation in general, confidered^ 
 
 ffo Duty of Meditating upon the Word of God when 
 preached to us ^ p. I07, &c. 
 
 fTje 'fhiall Proficiency ofjnoflMen in Piety and Virtue in great 
 ^-Meafure owi'ng to the Negle^ of this Duty, p. 209 
 
 T^he 
 
The GONTE^KTS. xxte 
 
 - ^e Philofopher^,Q^,old^._ fKimently complain on the like Oci 
 
 cafion,. .,o£q: '" ^ Page 2 10 
 
 An Excellent uhfervation of ^/ Chrylbflom on this Head 
 
 p. 211 
 
 Ihe Necejfity of Meditating freqtie}itly upon the Being- &f 
 God and His Perfe5lions^ v, 
 
 Firft, "To guard us againft the dangetms Imprefftom-.^^, 
 Atheifm, ^ nci^H ^H^\^rw p. 216, &c. 
 
 ^he Increafe of Atheifm in the'Wbrld^ confidered^ p. 2 1 7, 
 
 218 
 
 Tl:)e Proofs and Evidences of the Being of God and HisFefY 
 fe^ions, p, 220, 221 
 
 7 he Ahfurdity of the Epicureans and others in denying Fi^ 
 nal Caufes^ ;,v^,« {\^,:^<-p. %xi^ 
 
 Secondly, Meditation on the Being of God and His Per^ 
 fe^ions, necejfary to preferve in our Mmds fuch a liveh 
 Senfe of thefe "Truths as may prevail upon us to the 
 Practice of Virtue^ p. 223, &c. 
 
 l^he Neceffity of Meditating upon Divine Providence fhewn^ 
 Firft, Tb confirm us in the Belief of it ^ upon which cm' 
 Happinefs depends, p. 2 2 8, & 
 
 Secondly, To make us patient and fuhmiffive under the Af 
 fliolions of this Life ^ p. 241, &c. 
 
 The Neceffity of a firm Belief of Divine Providence ex- 
 'emplifiedy ' p . 2 2 9 , &c.: 
 
 The Proofs and Evidences of Divine Providence confideredy 
 
 p. 233, &c^ 
 
 The great Benefit and Advantage of helieviug a Divine Pro- 
 vidence^ ozewd- J M' Epicurus, P» 2/14 
 
 The Neceffity of Meditatii^ frequently upon the.LoveofGod 
 in the Death of Chrift, ibid. 
 
 In what Senfe the Sacrifice of Chrift'^ Death was tieceffary 
 for the Expiation of Sin, : p. 245 
 
 God not obliged to pardon the Sins (f Men barely upon their 
 Repentance, p. 246 
 
 The Sacrifice of ChriftV Death a powerful Diffuafive from 
 SinandWukednefs, p. 247 
 
 The 
 
 u. 
 
 ^ 
 
XXX The CONTENTS. 
 
 "ithe great Love of Chrift in dying for m^ confidered and 
 illujlrated, ^ ^ "^ - Page 248,^249 
 
 ^he Neceffity of Meditating frequently upon a Future Judg- 
 . ment and Everlafting Retributions^ P- 251, &c. 
 
 ibisfrjewn in general frovi the Nature and Condition of Man- 
 kind^ P' 2^2 
 
 Meditation upon Future Retributions neceffary to convince us 
 of the fruth and Certainty of them, p. 254 
 
 57j^ ahfolute Neceffity of this CorwiElion, p. 254, 255 
 
 Meditation upon Future Rotributions 7ieceffary to give us a 
 ;,^' lively Senfe of the Nature and Importance of them, 
 
 p. 256 
 
 ^his abfolutely neceffary to overcome the Force of prefent 
 Things, P^ 257 
 
 No Obje^ion to the Importance of Future things, that they 
 are in great,. Meafure unknown to us, p. 258, &c. 
 
 The Do5frine of Eternal Punifhments, taught by the bejl 
 Philofophers, p. 263 
 
 The Belief of this Do5irine of great Service to the Caufe of Re- 
 ligion and Virtue, p. 264 
 
 The Beauty and prefent Rewards of Virtue not fufficient to 
 
 induce Men to the Practice ofit^ p. 266, &c. 
 
 The Difference between the Stoics and Modern Infidels up- 
 on this Point, p. 267 
 
 // is no mean andfervile Thing to be influenced by the 'Be- 
 lief of future Retributions, p. 271, &c. 
 
 The extraordinary Piety and Goodnefs of the Primitive 
 Chriftians owing in great Meafure to their frequent Me- 
 ditation on future Things, p. 274 
 
 Chriftians after the Time of Conftantine the Great, grew 
 very bad and wicked, and why, p. 275 
 
 The Sentiments of fome Eminent Divines concerning the Ne- 
 ceffity of Divine Meditation, p. 276, &€. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Concerning the Duty of Self-Examination. 
 A careful Examination of ourfelves neceffary to the Repen- 
 tance of our Sins, p. 2 79 
 
 Tins 
 
. The CONTENTS. xxxi 
 
 'J'his ohfervedand recommended hy the old Philofophers^V,a^ 
 
 7'he great Ufefulnefs and Advantage of fuch Eyfarnvna- 
 
 t'lon^ p. 281, 282 
 
 An Examination of ourfelves neceffary to the Underftandmg 
 
 the true State and Difpofition of our Souls ^ p. 282 
 
 ^loe Manner in which this Duty of Self-Examinaiion flmdd 
 
 be perfonned, p. 283, &c. 
 
 I'he Knowledge of the true State of our Souls neceffary to the 
 
 Peace and ^iet of our Mnds, p. 287 
 
 And to our Growth in Grace ^ a?id Improvement in Virtue^. 
 
 p. 288 
 The Gofpel does not reqidre us to he perfeEl in Holmefs hut 
 
 hyDegreeSy p. 289, 296 
 
 CHAR V. 
 
 Concerning the Religious Education of Children. 
 In what the Religious Education of Children confifts^ p. 
 
 29.2, 29g 
 lloe Manner in which Parmts fhotdd inftrucl thetn in their 
 
 Catechifm, p. 293, &c. 
 
 They fhould early inftruoi them in the Principles of Religion^ 
 
 and why y p. 294, &a 
 
 The Manner in which they fhould inftru^ them^ Firfl, In 
 
 their Duty to God^ p, 297, &c. Secondly, In their 
 
 Duty towards their Neighbour^ p. 299, &c. Thirdly, 
 
 In their Duty towards themfelves^ p. 300, &c, 
 
 ney fhould earneftly caution them againft keeping had Com - 
 
 pany, p. 305, &c. 
 
 They fhould fhew them the great Advantage of early Piety 
 
 and conft ant Virtue^ ' P- 307» &-• 
 
 More particularly ^ they footdd inftru5l them in the neceffary 
 
 Duty of God's public JVorfJjip^ , p- 3 1 2 
 
 And in a Reverent Behaviour to the Minifters of God's PFordy 
 
 and whyy p. 3 1 6, &c. 
 
 The peculiar Worth and Merit of ths Englilh Clergy., 
 
 ^•.., p,3i9,&c. 
 Ths 
 
xxxii The CONTENTS. 
 
 *ithe Manner in which Parents Jhould tnftru5f their Children 
 by the reading of the Scriptures^ Page 321, &c. 
 
 ^he great Benefits and Advantages of Childrens early read- 
 ing the Holy Scripture^ P» 324 
 
 Parents fhould carefully inftru5i their Children in the Boc^ 
 trine of ChnH^s Mediation, and why ^ p. 325, 6cc, 
 
 The ahfolute Necejftty and great Advantage of a Religious 
 Education^ p. 330, &c, 340, &c. 
 
 The great Difficulty of reforming Vicious Habits, p. 337, 
 
 In what Senfe the Holy Scripture reprefents it as impoffthk, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 The exceeding Guilt of many Parents in the NtglcEl of this 
 
 Duty of Religious Education, P* 339 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Concerning the Manner and Meafure in which the Re- 
 ligions Duties above mentioned are to be difcharged 
 on the Lord's Bay. 
 
 All Men of what ^ality and Condition foever bound to 
 attend upon the Public JVorfdp^ and to meditate on the 
 Word preached to thein on the Lord's Day, p. 343 
 
 'Hoe Private Duties of the Day to be difcarged in greater or 
 lefs Meafure according as Men fpend more or lefs time 
 in them at other Seafons^ P- 34^ 
 
 Tet they are not to be zvholly omitted at this Ti?ne by any 
 Man whatfoever, p. 349 
 
 The greateft Men bound to obferve the Lord's Day Reli- 
 gicujly, Firfl, On Account of their Families, p. 350 
 
 Tloe Neceffty of Family Inftruolion confidered^ p. 350, &c. 
 
 Secondly, With Regard to their own Perfonal Obligations, 
 Firft, Becaufe God hath co7n?nanded it, p. 255* Second- 
 ly, That they 7nay fet a goodExample to otherMen^p.^^6, 
 And Thirdly, That they may give no Offence to others, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 -The great Sin of giving Offence confidcred^ p. Q,p,y, &c: 
 
 Ue 
 
^ The CONTENTS. xxxiii 
 
 ^he^ many and great Mtf chiefs of negk^ing the Rellgms 
 Duties of the Lord's Day, P- 361, &c. 
 
 King James the Firfl'j and King Charles the Firft'j De- 
 clarations for Sports on the Lord's Day, the Occafion 
 and ill Confequence of thern^ P* 37I5 &c. 
 
 'The abfolute Necejfty of a Reformation in this Particular^ 
 
 P- S74 
 Superftition on the Sabbath, a 'ivifer Extreme at Frejent 
 
 than Profanenefs. P- 375 
 
 The Salifications ivith which the Do^rine of the Religious 
 
 Ohfervation of the Lord's Day is to he underftood^ 
 
 p. '^yy, &c. 
 fhe Sabbath defgned for the Eafe and Comfort- of Man- 
 kind, as well as for the Performance of Religious Du- 
 ties^ ■ ^ p. 379, 380 
 l^he fame ohferved by the hefi Philofophers concerning their 
 .. Fejlivals^ p. 380 
 'I he DoElrine of the Religious Ohfervation of the Sabbath, 
 when truly fiated^ not hard and fever Cy p. 381, ^^2, 
 
 C H A P. VIL 
 
 Containing theTeftimoniesof Pious andLcarned Men in 
 the former and latter Ages of the Church, concern- 
 ing the Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 
 
 The Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day raJJoly 
 charged with Errour and Superftition y P» 3S3 
 
 T^d-Sabbath ohferved religioufly by the antient Saxons,p.3 84 
 
 *The Laws of the Land enjoin the Religious Ohfervation of 
 this Day, ibid. &c. 
 
 The Primitive Chriftians make many excellent Laws and 
 Canons for the Religious Ohfervation of this Day^ 
 
 p. 388, &c. 
 
 The Judgment of the antient Fathers of the Church upon 
 this Head ^ p. 391, 6a:, 
 
 b The 
 
xxxiv The CONTENTS. 
 
 ^he great Regard which the frfi Chriftian Emperour 
 Jhezvedfor the Religious Ohferuation of the Lord*s Day, ■ 
 
 P- 394, ?>9S 
 iJje Sentiments of the heft Divines of the Chu, uj of Eng- 
 land in this Matter^ p. '^o,^^ ic ...lo 
 ne Opinion of the Author of the Fable of the Eees, 
 upon this Point ^ p. .410 
 Aferious Application to the Clergy and the Civil Magifirates^ 
 
 p, 412, 413 
 The Conclufion^ p. 414 
 
 The more material E E R A T A the Reader is defired to coricft 
 in the Manner following. 
 
 PAGE 17. line '^li ^i.'reaJ, by Faith in God, and by 
 the Covenant, p. 21. /. 22. r. Barbarian, p. 30. /. 4. not, 
 r. auditu. p. 54. /. i. r. as Dr Hammond, p. 57. /. uli. not. r. 
 Profeuchci. p. 86. /. 21. r. 7iaufeous, p. 94. /. 13. Tiot. r. Hoc 
 cedo. p^ 95* /. 4. Jiot. r, veftros. />. 97. I. 19. r. pofTibly. ibid* 
 L 6. not. r. minijlerio. />. 121. /. 3. not. r. tanto. p. 168. /. 2. 
 not, for p, 526. r. p. 2$6. p. 170. /. 7 and 8. not- r. Caujam^ & 
 Materiam. p. 179. /. i. r. not be detiied p. 183. /. 6. r. 
 John vii. 46. p. 198. /. /^^ /tf/?. r. Indifpenfable. p. 300./. 
 'lajl. not. chap. vi. r. chap. iv. p. 303. /. 3. not. r. See above 
 p. 285. p. 314. /. 5. and r. with. p. 317. A i. not. r. exproba- 
 bant. />. 345. /. 29, 30. r. Particular, pj 375. /. 7. not, r» the 
 Offices. />. 376. /. 5. r. defpifed. 
 
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 LIST 
 
 O F T H E 
 
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[38 ] 
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[ 39 ] 
 
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[ 40 ] 
 
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[42] 
 
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[43] 
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T 
 
 [ 44 ] 
 
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[46] 
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[47] 
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ri 
 
 PART I 
 
 The Introduction. 
 
 O D as He is our Creator, fo is He alfo 
 our Supreme Lord and Governour, 
 and sisfucby hath an abfolute Right to 
 the ut7mjl Service and Obedience, which 
 we can pofTibly pay . unto Him. As 
 we depend upon Him' in all our "Wants, 
 and receive from Him all Things we enjoy •, it is our 
 hounden Duty to Acknowledge that Dependence by 
 conllant and fervent Prayer and Devotion: And in 
 token of His Goodnefs in Creating us, and the diilin- 
 guifhing BlefTings of His Providence to all [a] Man- 
 kind ; we are obliged to celebrate His Praife (^), and 
 
 B to 
 
 {a) God \ovtt\i all, more than He can beloved of /;?//, even every 
 one individually, more than all together are ever capable of exerting 
 their Love to Him. Thomas d Kempis on the Imitation of ChrijU 
 Vol. //, pag, 256. 
 
 'T* ©iov, y.iya^ 0goj, 077 «//7f 7m^i<^v jpf<:t^;« TA^Td, J)' <^v rh^ 
 
 dvecTTVeiVi -TzjLvjct ip' hj'"^^ epvfJLVHV IcTfi, y^ T iJ.2yi<^v y^ ■dno" 
 "Jetjov vy.vov \(pvy.veiVi qjj rbjj J^vvccy.iv iJhtu rlutJ <^^;coA«0«- 
 TiKlmj T4r»v xj o«/iy y^i)')7Klfjj' &c* Arrian, in Epi(^let.' lib. h 
 cap. xvi, ^ ^ 
 
INTRODUCTION, 
 
 to proclaim the Honour and Majefty of His Name in- 
 all Ages and Generations of the World. To fuppofe 
 otherwife, is to deny our • felves to be creakd Beings : 
 For to allow that we are made by God, and depend 
 every Moment upon Him, and yet are not bound to 
 teftify That Dependence by the neceflary Performance 
 of thefe Duties, is as great a Contradiction (c) as any 
 in the World. As we are therefore bound to worlhip 
 God in general ; fo likewife are we obliged to a va- 
 rious and different Manner of performing this Duty, 
 according to the different State and Circumftances of 
 our Condition. As we are piivate Perfons, we muft 
 manifeft our Dependence upon God in private. We 
 muft pray to Him for thof^i Things of which we our 
 felves ftand in need -, and return Him Thanks and 
 Praife for thofe Bleflings we enjoy. And as we are 
 confidered in a public Capacity •, we muft apply our 
 felves to God in fuch a manner, as is agreeable to our 
 puhlic State and Condition (d ) : That He v/ould be 
 pleafed not only to profper ourfelves, but all Mankind ; 
 that He would avert all Judgments due to our Sins, 
 and grant us the public Bleflings of Unity and Peace : 
 And that, as the only Return we can make for His Ex- 
 ceeding Favours -, He v/ould accept of our fmcereTove 
 and Aifedion, and moft hearty Praife and Thankf- 
 
 giving. 
 
 {c) Dependency in a Crcr.ture, without fome Mark or Manifella- 
 tion of fuch a State, is utterly unintelligib'e, or to fpeak more pro- 
 perly a Contradiclion ; becaufe it is, vrith regard to that Creature, 
 to all Intents and Purpofes a State of Independency. Revelation 
 Examined zuitb Candour, <^c. Vol. I. pag. ^^7. 
 
 i^d) Rer.fon diredlcth not only to v/orfhip God iwfecret^ but alfb 
 and efpecialhj in public, and in the Sigh- of ^'en ; for without that 
 (that which in Honour is moft acceptable) the procuring others to 
 honour Him is loll. Hobhs s Lev athaii^ chap xx i» pag. 192. 
 
 As to Matters relat'ng to the Worlhip of God. it is the Foice of 
 Nature t that God fhould be publickly Worfhippe : ; and that Men 
 fliould do this in the moft convenient Way, by appointing amongft 
 themfelvef, Ti;;ie, P.hccy Perjons^ and all other Things whi h re- 
 quire ^v<-/^/ Determination, Cbrj/iiamty as old as the CnatiQr,9 
 pag. 115, 116, 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 giving. Now thefe beirg all necejj'ary Duties refulting 
 from our State and Condition in this World, do re- 
 quire fome Time and Place for the Performance of 
 them \ which by reafon of the different Tempers and 
 Inclinations of Men, and the various Bufmeffes and 
 Affairs of the World, ought in all Wifdom to be 
 determined by fome jufl and proper Authority ; 
 that fo there might be no Negled or Diftradlion in 
 the Exercife of thefe Duties : But that all Men, as they 
 ihould with one Heart and one Mouth, fo they might 
 in one Time and <?;2<? Place meet together x.o glorify God, 
 Accordingly we find that the Divine Wifdom hath 
 taken Care of this Matter, by feparating one Day in 
 every Week for His Worlhip and Service, thro' all 
 Ages and Generations of the World : It being (as will 
 be clearly feen hereafter) a Law everlaftingly obliging 
 the Sons of Men, that they Ihould Remember the Sabbath 
 Day and keep it Holy, i, e. That they Ihould remember to 
 obferve tvtry JeventhTiTiy in the Week, as a Reft from 
 bodily Work and Labour-, and not only that^ but 
 alfo as a Day confecrated to the Worlhip and Ser- 
 vice of God. 
 
 In treating upon which Point fo necelTary to be 
 well underftood, and fully confidered by all Chrifti- 
 ans fefpecially in this profane and degenerate Age) 
 I Ihall in the following Difcourfe endeavour to do 
 thefe four Things. 
 
 Firft^ I fhall endeavour to fhew in general the 
 Perpetual Obligation of obferving one Day in every 
 Week, as a Day of God's public Worlhip and 
 Service. 
 
 Secondly^ I ihall give an Account of the Change 
 of the Day from the feventb to the Jirfi Day of 
 the Week, 
 
 B 2 fhirdlyi, 
 
INT'RODUCTION. 
 
 Thirdly^ I lliall lay before the Reader the inany and 
 great BlelTings and Advantages which will redound to 
 the Public^ as well as to -private Perfons^ from a De- 
 vout and Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Bay, 
 And in the 
 
 Fourth and' laJL Place, I fhall confider the parti- 
 cular Manner in which this holy Day ought to be ob- 
 ferved by all Chriftians. Which Points, as they are of 
 greateft Confequence and - Importance to the true 
 Happinefs of ■ Mankind •, ought not re be Jlightly 
 •and .. [iiperficmlly handled, but to be cbroughh and 
 fefioufty tvt^i^d upon, as with God's Afiiftance,' they 
 fliall be in the following Chapters. 
 
 A DIS- 
 
DISCO 
 
 Corxerning 
 
 Religious Obfervation 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 L O R D's DA Y. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Concerning the Obligation of obferving one Day 
 in every JVeek, as a Day of God's Public 
 Worjhip and Service. 
 
 E F O R E I proceed to the Confi- 
 deration of this Point, I think it ne- 
 ceflary to premife; that I fhall not at 
 prefent enter into the Difpute, by 
 what Name and Appellation thai 
 Day ought to be called, which I am 
 now enquiring about •, whether Sun- 
 day^ the Sabbath, or the Lord's Day : fince it is all one 
 to my Purpofe by what Name theDay iscalled , provided 
 
 B 3 i^ 
 
6 A Dtfcourfe concerning the 
 
 it be duly obferved in that Pious and Religious Man- 
 ner that it ought to be. And indeed tho' the Lcrd*s 
 Dav is the true Appellation of the firil Day of the 
 Week which the Chriftian World obferves, and is fo 
 called by St Jobt, Rev. i. lo. yet on the other Side 
 1 profefs I fee no Harm in calling *//ij Day by the 
 Name of Sunday., or the Sabhath Day -, and I think 
 the Charge of Gentilifm or Judaifm, which hath too 
 of:en bten laid on thofe who call the Lord's Day by 
 either of the two other Names, is very ra/b and 
 unchrijiian (e). For as to the frft^ it is certain that 
 the Lord's Day was called by the Name of Sunday by 
 feveral of the early Writers of the (f) Church, be- 
 caufe it happened on that Day of the Week v/hich 
 the Heathens dedicated to the Sun *, and therefore as it 
 was beft known to them by that Charadler, the anci- 
 ent Fathers commonly make ufe of it in their Jpolo- 
 gies to the Heathen Governors j and it feldom pafTeth 
 under any other Name in the Imperial Edicts of the 
 firft Chriftian Emperors. Befides, as an excellent 
 Author well obferves (^j, it may properly retain that 
 Name as it is dedicated to the Honour of our BJefTed 
 Saviour -, who is by the Propliet called the Sun of 
 Eighteoufiiefs^ Mal.iv. 2. And as to the 6>/^^r Appella- 
 tion, viz. that of the Sabhath^ it properly fignifies 
 Reft., and is a Term of very large and general Signi- 
 fication : fometimes importing the feventh Day of 
 the Week, which the Jews obf:^rved as a Day of Reft 
 from bodily Labour ; in which Senfe the Word Sabbath 
 is moft commonly ufed in the Ne-w Teftament: at other 
 Times the Space of a TVeek^ as Matt, xxviii. i. In 
 
 the 
 
 I P" ■ ■ ■ I . . — — ■ — . 
 
 (e) Vid. Heylin's Hiflory cf the Sabbath, Part II, chap, 
 ii. ^. 12. 
 
 (f) T« -TO YiKii Ki-^fiiJAV^ iH-d^-t Tmp'Jeov K^di Tii^H^ ii ctyflg 
 uivovjc-jv ^ 7i 'x^lo (wvi\>iV(ni}ivi]ei(, &c. JuR. Mart. Apolog. .i. 
 Diem So'is laetiiije indulgemus. Terfu/'ia/i, Apol- cap. xvi. 
 
 (g) Nelfon on the Felliva^s, p. id. 2ee alfo Bipop Beveridge'^ 
 TiiDughts on Religion, 8vo. Part II. p. 324, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. y 
 
 the End of the Sabhath^ as it began to dawn towards the 
 fi^ft Dav of the Week -, in the Original it is eV fA-Uv caQ- 
 €a,T^v (h). And in Lev. xxvy 8. the Space of feven 
 Years is fliled a Sabbath-, and the feventh Year in 
 which the Land was to lie fallow by the Command 
 of God, is likewife called by the fame Name, Lev, 
 xxvy 3, 4. And in general^ the Word Sabbath may 
 be applied to any Day of Reft whatfoever, that is de- 
 dicated (i) to the Worfhip and Service of God. Thus 
 we find that the Feaji of 'Trumpets^ which was to be 
 celebrated upon the firft Day of the feventh Month, 
 on what Day of the Week foever it fhould fall ; is 
 called a Sabbath^ Lev. scmiy 24. And lb likewife 
 the great Day of Atonement^ which was always to be 
 kept on the tenth Day of the fame Month, is de- 
 fcribed by this Name, // Jhall be unto you a Sabbath cf 
 Reft^ V. 27, 32. And feveral other Feftivals are alfo 
 called by this Name, as may be obferved in the 
 fame Chapter, 
 
 Waving 'therefore all Difputes about the Propriety 
 of thbfe Terms ; I proceed to the main Thing pro- 
 pofed, viz, to fhew the perpetual Obligation of ob- 
 lerving one Day in every Week as a Day of God's 
 Worfhip and Service. I fhall firfl treat of the par- 
 ticular Obfervation of one Day in feven. And fe- 
 condly,, of confecrating this Day, thusj^^ apart,, to ths 
 more immediate Worfhip and Service of God. And, 
 
 Firft ^ As to the Particular Obligation of obferving 
 cne Day in every Week. Now the Arguments by 
 which this Obligation will be proved, I fhall confider 
 in the Order and Method following. 
 
 B4 I. It 
 
 (h) Vt n^n^vi^ Hebrais, ita ffeLCCctla. Hellenijih Multitudinis 
 numero plerumque dicuntur non ipfi dies otio dati, fed tota dieriim 
 hebdomas, ab uiiius Sabbati initio, ad initium alterius; quarum die- 
 rum prima earn ab rem vocatur ^jct cdLQ^cLTnv ex Hebraifmo. 
 Grot in ioc. 
 
 (i) Ad feftos omnes dies tranflatum nomen (Sabbatum) eft, 'ye 
 docent. Chryf. in Kom. 40. in Matt. Theophil. & Euthym. ii^ 
 9?rP. Lucas 6, Ribera de Templof lib. r. cnp. i\ 
 
8 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Firft^ It mud be confeiTed that the Law of Nature^ 
 hath made no Determination in this Matter. We are 
 indeed requir'd by that Law to fcrve and worfhip God, 
 and confequently to feparate fome Part of our Time, 
 for the more Regular and Solemn Performance of this 
 Duty ; as will be fully fhev/n in the Sequel. And 
 becaufe we are liable to continual Wants and Ne- 
 ceflities, and are daily receiving Mercies and Bleffings 
 from God •, therefore thefe Times of Divine Service 
 and Worfhip, ought to have a frequent Return in 
 the Courfe of their Obfervation. Thus much 
 the Law of Nature plainly requires {k). But what 
 particular Meafure of our Time is to be appro- 
 priated to this End, is a Thing which that Law 
 hath left Indifferent. In fuch a Cafe then, if God 
 hath made no Revelation of His Will and Plea- 
 fure about it, the Public Authority in every 
 Country mufl determine the Matter. And there- 
 fore fince in all Chriftian States, one Day in fevm 
 is ^tt apart for this Purpofe, by the Command of 
 the Government ; it ought to be duly obferved by 
 all their Subje6ts. And the Reafon of this is plain -> 
 becaufe whatfoever is left Indifferent by the Divine 
 Laws, may very juftly be made the Subje6l Matter 
 of Human Conflitutions (I). So that fuppofmg there 
 were no other Authority for the Obfervation of this 
 Day, but only the Order and Appointment of 
 our Governours in Church and State ; this 
 alone would be fufiicient to inforce the Obligation 
 of this Duty upon us : And as an Excellent Pre- 
 late of our Church expreffes (m) it, " He that de- 
 
 " frauds 
 
 (i). Vid, Puffendorf 's Law of Nature and Nations, Book IT, 
 chap, iv, with the Notes upon the Place. Woolafton's Rdigioa 
 of Nature delineated, p. 124, 125. 
 
 (/), See Hooker's Ecclefiattical Polity, Book iii. Bijhop Stilling, 
 fleet's Iren'cum, Part I, chap. ii. §. 4 and 5. 
 
 (m)ArcUiJhop Sharp's Sermonsj VoUIV. p. 260, 261, ^eeth 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 9 
 
 f« frauds God Almighty of that Portion of Time, 
 " which by the Law of his Country is folemnly 
 *' confecrated or devoted to Him ; may be truly 
 " faid to fin againft God in that Matter, as well as 
 " to tranfgrefs a Canon^ or any^^ of Parliament'^ But 
 this is not all : For in the 
 
 Second Place^ The Obfervation of one Day in 
 every Week is exprefsly required by God Him- 
 felf, to be celebrated in Memory of the Creation 
 of the (n) World. Thus Gen, ii. 1, 2, 3. The 
 Heavens and the Earth were made^ and on the Seventh 
 Day, God refted from His Work which He had made ; 
 and God hleffed the Seventh Day and fan^ified it, i. e. 
 He feparated it from the other fix Days for holy 
 and facred Ufes : For that is the conftant Senfe of 
 this Word, when applied to External Things {0), 
 For as to the Interpretation of this Text given by 
 a Learned Prelate, viz. 'That the Text only tells us, 
 what God did Himfelf not what He comjnanded us to 
 do •, God may do one Thing Himfelf, and yet command 
 us to do the contrary (p) ; it is of no Force. For 
 God is not any where faid to fanElify the Sahhath, 
 with regard to His own holy and facred Beha- 
 viour thereupon ; for in that Refped, every Mo- 
 ment of His Eternal Duration is equally fandlified 
 by Him : nor barely by His refting from His 
 
 Works 
 
 (n) Sabbatum ab Imtio Mundi deftinatum eft ad cultum Dei. 
 Luther. Loc. Commun- per Fabricium» Clajf. iii. p. 8«;. 
 
 (0) Sanftiiicare Sabbatum non eft otio ignavo Diem conterere 
 fed vitare peccata, & opera fan6la Sabbato peragere. Aliter Deus, 
 aliter Homines Sabbatum fandlificare dicuntur. Deus Sabbatum 
 fanflificat, quia illud Cultui Divino dejitnat ; Homines illud fanfti- 
 |icant, quando illud in ufum a Deo deftinatum referunt. TJrfini 
 ^xplicat. Catechet. Part III, ^aif. 13. Sahbatum fanSlificavit 
 Deus, i. e. a Profano ufu fegregavit, & Cultui Divino dedicavit, 
 Segregavit ex.vulgi numero, folennem ac fanftum & venerabilem 
 Jiaberi voluit. Munfier, fag: Oleaji. Jinfw. & yatabl, in 
 Qen. ii. 3. 
 
 {p) Archbijhop Bramhairs Works, p. 911, , 
 
lo A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Works upon that Day, as this Author fuppofcs ; 
 but by fetting it apart to all Mankind, for His 
 Public Worfhip and Service : which is the only 
 true Notion of the Sanciificaticn of die Sahbath, as 
 is evide: t from the Pallages jufi now cited in the 
 Margin, and will more fully appear from what 
 Ihall be faid hereafter. So that here is laid an Ob- 
 ligation upon all Men, and that by the expnfs 
 Command of God Himfelf, to obferve the Sevoith 
 Day in Memory of the Creation : That fo all 
 Men might have a Jlated Opportunity of praifing 
 God for the Glory of His Works ; of refleding 
 upon their Condition as created^ dependent Beings \ 
 and of confiderir.g the Duties and Obligations 
 confequent thereupon. So that tho* we Chriftians 
 are not bound (as will hereafter be clear 'y fhewn) to 
 keep the Particular Day of the Je^-jjifrJ Salhath^^ becaufe 
 that depended entirely upon the Law of Mofes^ 
 which is now of no Force ; yet the Duty of ob- 
 ferving one Day in feven is obligatory upon all 
 Men, who acknowledge the Bihle to be the Word 
 of God : Bjcaufe God Himfelf hath exprefdy en- 
 joined it to be obler^v ed in Memory of the Creation ; 
 and that, many Years before the Law of Mojes was 
 eftablifhed. 
 
 This feems to be a very plain and clear Ac- 
 count of this Matter ; but it will be more clear 
 and plain, when we confider the Weaknefs of that 
 Argument which is urged againft it : and that 
 h^ihzxthefe IVords TlXQ here fpoken by Way of 
 Anticipation -, i. e. that God is here faid to appoint 
 the Obfervadon of the Sabbath^ becaufe He defigned 
 that it fhould be obferved at the gizv^g of the 
 Law ; fo that what was then commanded, is figu- 
 ratively faid to have been required before, even at the 
 Conclufion of the great Work of Creation, And in- 
 deed it muft not be denied, that not only fome 
 of the Jcwifo Writers, but alfo fcyeral learned 
 
 Modern 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 1 1 
 
 Modern Critics come into this (^) Senfe. Bat 
 however it is a manifelt Force upon the Words, 
 and fuch an ill Conftrudlion, as cannot be charged 
 upon any Writer of good Senfe and Underfland- 
 ing ; for do but obferve what an odd Sentence it 
 makes (r). Mofes here fays, that God refted from 
 His- Works on the Seventh Day and fan5lified it ; 
 and all the Reafon is becaufe above 2500 Years 
 after, when He gave His Laws to the Children of 
 IfraeU he commanded them to keep and obferve 
 this Day. An Account very ftrange and incoherent, 
 and which is plainly repugnant to the exprefs Words 
 of Scripture, which fays that God blejjed the Seventh 
 Day a?id fan^lified it^ becaufe that in it He refted (5) from all 
 His U^ork^ Gen. ii. 3. So that as long as this Text re- 
 mains 
 
 (f) ^^^- Poli Synopf. Critic, in Gen. ii. 3. Synopfis Purioris 
 Theologiae, per Po/ia/J.um, Rivetum^ ^c. Difputat. xxi. $.13. 
 Heylin's Hiftoty of the Sabbath^ Part I, chap, i, §. 2, 3, 4. 
 ./^r^^^//?'(7^ Bramhairs Work?, p. 911, 912. » 
 
 (r) They do indeed in faying this, mal^c Mofes an Admirable 
 Orator as well as an Hiftorian ; for they make him fpeak {xxzlxftrange 
 Figures, and tell his Story in farh a Wdy, as never any good Au- 
 thor did fince his Time. But this is our Comfort, that tho' fome 
 of the Jews talk after this Manner; yet the Difcreete^, and thofe 
 that are Incomparably the bell and moft judiciou' Writers of that 
 Nation, are of another Opinion, and own t^e Inftitution of the 
 Sabbath to have been from the very Creation of the World. 
 Archbifnop Sharp's Sermons, Vol. IV. p. 271, 272. 
 
 (s) The Blejfi ng ^x\ASan^ifying ht'mg (in Gen. ii. i, 2, 3.) 
 fubjoined to God's Seventh Day's Reft, as that is to His perfeding 
 His Work ; and this to His finifhing the Heavens and the Earth, 
 and all the Hoft of them ; and the famfe copulative [and) being 
 ufed all the way, without the leail Mark of any Difference with 
 regard to the Point in Difpute : To believe that this Bleffing and 
 and Sandlifying (as well as the other Particulars) vitrtaciual^ and 
 bear the fame Relation they do, that is, to Mankind ; is to 
 believe what fuits beft with the Nature of Hiftcry, and the Cir- 
 cumftances of the Place. From this Bottom we ought not to ftir, 
 without fome Urgent Reafon for it, which is what I could never 
 yet mtet with. Hill on the fourth Commandment, Difcourfe U 
 f. 27. Quomodo autem fanftiiicavit ? (Sabbatum) non Solum 
 deer e to & volumate, fed reipfa ; quia ilium diem (ut non pauci 
 volunt, & jprobabile eft; mandavit primis Parentibws faiK^ificanduii?^ 
 T^anchius in ^artum Decalogi pr^cce^tum* 
 
J 2 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 mairs in the Bible, it will be a Demonftrative Proof 
 of this Point, that all Men to whom the Holy Scrip- 
 tures have been revealed, are bound to obferve the 
 Sahhath Day in Memory of the Creation (t) •, and as 
 a Time of Refle6ling upon the Duties and Obligati- 
 ons which arife therefrom. And it is no Objedlion at 
 all to this, that the Holy Scripture is filent as to the 
 Patriarchs Obfervation of the Sahhath Bay. For it is 
 noftrange Thing at all, that in a Hiftory of fo large 
 an Extent of Time, as above 2500 Years, and 
 yet contained in {ofrnall a Cof?ipafs, as that of the Bible 
 is from the Creation of the World to the giving 
 of the Law ; the Chief Defign of which is to ihew 
 that God is the Creator and Governour of all Things *, 
 to manifeft the Wonders of His Providence ; and to 
 fet forth the Genealogy and Succefiion of the Jews : 
 
 I fay. 
 
 (tj The F/r/? InHiitution of the Sabbath was on purpofe that 
 Men feriodically celebrating the Creatmi of God, might there- 
 by be preferved from Irrehgion and Idolatry. Dent. iv. 19. 
 Dr Clarke's Sermons^ Vol. X. p. 53, 54. The Moral Part 
 of the Sabbath, /. e. fo far as it is a Commandment enjoin- 
 ing the Virtue of Humanity, or of allowing Time to thofe 
 who are under our Power, to reft from the Labours of their 
 worldly Emplryments ; and fo far as it is, according to the 
 Oririndl Reafon of its Infiitution in Paradife, a Time fet apart 
 for the Religious Commemoration of God's Work of Creati- n, and 
 praifing Him for the Things hat He has made and ferving and 
 worlhipping Him, as the Maker of all Things; This Moral Part 
 of the Sabbath, I fay, is of eternal and u?uhangeable Obligation. 
 Clarke, ibid. p. 59. The Ends and Reafons of this, (the 4th) 
 Commandment, are, Jirji that \ien might contemplate and comme- 
 morate the Work of Creation. For in Six Days the Lord made 
 
 the Heaven, and the Earth j for this Reafon the Sabbath is a 
 
 perpetual Covenant., Exod. xxxi. 16, 17. And not to the 
 Children of Ifrael only^ but from the very Beginning of the Worldy 
 Was this a Sign and" Covenant appointed of God, and is there- 
 fore of a Moral Nature throughout all Generations. Dr Clarke'^ 
 Expofit. of theCatechijm. ^ I73»J74- This Senfe of p_;;. 
 ii. 3. is (as will be ihewn hereafter) followed by our Church in 
 the Homily concerning the Time and Place of Prayer, Parti, 
 and by the Generality of Learned Divines both Antient and Mc^ 
 dern. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 13 
 
 I fay, it is no ftrange Thing at all, that in a Hif- 
 tory of this Kind, many Material Things relating 
 to the Religious Obfervations and Behaviour of 
 the Antient Patriarchs fhould be (u) omitted. And 
 tlierefore it can never be certainly concluded that the 
 Patriarchs did not obferve the Sabbath Day^ merely be- 
 caufe the Holy Scripture, makes no mention of it. 
 And yet'if'it- were never fo certain that they did 
 not keep this Day (the contrary to which is exceed- 
 ingly piobable (^^vj), as will be feen prefently; yet it 
 will by no means follow from hence, that they were 
 not obliged thereto, as fome have imagined. For 
 the Law of the Sabbath being clear and exprefs^ as 
 was before taken Notice of i the Authority and Ob- 
 ligation of that Law can never be difanulled and 
 laid afide, by the Negled of any Men how pious and 
 good foever to keep and obferve it. 
 
 What hath been laid down under this Head, is, I 
 think, a very fufficient Proof, that there was from the 
 Beginning of the World one Day in every Week ap- 
 pointed of God to be kept Holy •, and that in Me- 
 mory of the Creation of the World. For tho' I do 
 not deny but that fome Things may be fpoken in 
 Scripture by way of Anticipation^ and that Text m 
 Exod, xvi. 34. where Aaron having filled a Pot with 
 
 Manna^ 
 
 (u) What a very excellent Prelate hath obfer/d concerning 
 the Hiftory of Mojes before the Flood, is true alfo with regard to 
 the remaining Part of it, 'till the giving of the Law. Viz. The 
 Account is x^ry Jhort, and conveys but Hi tie Knowledge to us of 
 the Religion of thofe Times. Sherlock^ Ufe and Intent of Prophecy, 
 Difcourfe IV, p. 89. 
 
 (x) Non dubito primos homines populi Dei hunc diem coluiiTe 
 jam inde ab Adamo. Mahenda in Gen. ii^ 3 Neque enim, 
 Adam in Paradyfo, fi in Innocentia manfilTet vixifict otiofus ; 
 Sabbato die docuiffet filios, ornaflet Deum meritis Laudibus, publica 
 prsdicatione Sc fe & alios contempktione operum Dei excitaffet 
 ad gratiarum Adionem. Lutheri hoc. Comminu Clafs iii, p. 85. 
 ^ee alfo Mr Hill on the Fourth- Commandment., Dijcourfe the 
 Firfiy in which many Obje^ions iekting to this Matter are fully 
 and diftift^ly anfwered, 
 
14 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Manna^ is faid to have laid it up before the ^eftt- 
 mony to be kept, may perhaps be fo underftood as Dr. 
 Heylin (y) contends -, becauie as yet^ there was no Ark 
 nor 'Tabernacle made, and copfequently no 'Teftmony 
 before which to keep it , yet it was but in the follow- 
 ing Year, that the Jrk and Teftmony were finifhed and 
 the 'Tabernacle reared up : and therefore Mofes having 
 mentioned Jaron^s filling the Pot with Manna^ might 
 very naturally at the fame Time (2) take Notice of his 
 placing it before the l^eftAmony •, becaufe he aEliially 
 did fo in a very little Time after, when the Ark and 
 Teftmony were prepared. And befides, Mcjes does not 
 fay in the Text, that Aaron placed the Pot of Manna 
 before the Teftmony^ wwiediately upon his filling it. 
 But fure it muft be a very bold and unexampled Li- 
 berty of Speech for Mofes to fay that God fan£lified 
 the Sabbath Day^ upon His ft.mflmg the ' Works of 
 Creation -, and yet, that this Commandment was given 
 only to the Jews^ and was not to be in Force for 
 above 2500 Years. But yet, if even this could be 
 fuppofed, there would then certainly have been fome- 
 thing laid dov/n in the Commandment, as the Ground 
 and Reafon thereof, v/hich made it peculiar to the 
 Jews ; as we find exprefsly done in Deut. v. 1 5. 
 when God appointed the Sabbath to that People oiily : 
 for there the Reafon of that Appointment is plainly 
 given, viz. becaufe the Lord had delivered them 
 from the Land of Egypt. Whereas in Gen, it. the 
 cnly Thing that is laid down as the Reafon of the 
 Sabbath is this, viz, becaufe on that Day God refted 
 from all His Work •, which is a Reafon that all Man- 
 kind are concerned in, as well as the Jews^ and was in 
 equal Force and Obligation from the very Beginning of 
 
 the 
 
 (y) Hiftory of the Sabbath, Part. I. Chap i. ij. 4. 
 
 (z) Thefe (the Tabl-s of God's Law) were given afterwards, at 
 Mount Sinaiy and there the Art was made , but Mrjfs reh arfed 
 th Thing here, 10 make a full End of the Hiftory. Alnfmrthi 
 
 in loc. 
 
Religious Obfe^vation of tjje Lord's Day. i| 
 
 die World, as it was from the Time of the Law of 
 Mofes. And indeed this Argument for the Antiquity 
 of the Sabbath, and the Univerfality'of its Obhgation, 
 drawn from the Reafon laid down in Gen, ii. is fo 
 very ftrong and cogent, that the learned Doctor himfclf 
 feems in great Meafure to be fenfible of tlic Force of 
 it ; by allowing that the Text (in Gen. ii, 3,) affords 
 a fufficient Intimation of the Equity and Reafon of the 
 Sabbath, viz, God's reding on that Day, after all his 
 Works that he had made (a). And that v/hich ren- 
 ders it highly probable that the Patriarchs conflandy 
 obferved this Day (notwithftanding the Silence of 
 Hoi 7 Scripture) is, to fiy nothing of their great 
 Piety and Regard to (b) God's Inilitutions, the Con^ 
 fideration of that Cuftom of computing Time by 
 JVeeks ', by which Means the Meniory of the /even 
 Days Work was preferved, by honouring the feventh 
 Day, as Grotius exprefTes it (c). Which Cuftom pre- 
 vailed ^^//^r^//)', 1^ not univerfally, in all Ages, and 
 amongffi the moft antient Nations, {d) of which we have 
 
 any 
 
 (a) He)Un, ibid. chap. ii. %. 1, 
 ^ {b) The Command of the Sabbath was given by God to Man- 
 kind from the Beginning of the World. So Mofes tells u?, Gsn. 
 ii. 2, 3. and it is net to be doubted, but that accordingly fuch a^S"^^- 
 bath did continue to be obferved, fo long as any Serje of true Re- 
 ligion remained upon the Earth. Archbijhop WakeV Exporjtion of 
 the Church Catechifm, §.i6. p.ioi. ' ^ ' ^ 
 
 (c) Grot, de Veritat. Relig. Chriftiana, lib. i. cap. xvi. 
 
 (d) Et intra fepte?n dies peradi operis memoria fervata, non apud 
 Gracos tantum & Italos, honore diei feptimi, quod ex ^fofepho, 
 Fhihne, Tibullo, Clem. Alexandrino, Sc Luciano diicimus, fnam de 
 Hebrais notifnmum efl) fed & di^nd.Celtas & Indos, quibus omni- 
 bus per Hebdo?nadas digefla tempoia ; quod nos decent Philoftra- 
 tus, Dion CaJJius, Jufiinm Martyr, Sc vetulliffima dierum no- 
 mma. Grot. ibid, mde Annotat. ad loc. 
 
 De Jeptimo die fic loquitur Arijlobulus Epiftola ad Ptolemaum 
 apud ^//^^ Pra^par, xiii. iz-Xd^Halov dyct'^ctv(^ti j^>ipuMv{jae 
 (baobatum ^letem hgnificat) Septimum autem Diem fancl-m efie 
 docent^^^W^j, ^ t^CKy-n he^vjjy^?. Et Homerus "^Q^oucLtM 
 ^ ilT^TztyJd'MiV he)v ii^Mo, i,e. Y^mt feptimus dXts/an^us, 
 
 Et 
 
1 5 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 any Records lefc ♦, and cannot rationally be derived 
 from any other Source than Patriarchal Tradition, 
 This Matter cannot be better exprefled than in the 
 Words of an excellent Prelate of our Church. 
 " What Account, fays he, can be given of all the 
 " World's computing their Time by TFeeks ; that is, 
 " counting feven Days and then beginning again : I 
 " fay, v/hat pofTible Account can be given oi this, but 
 '' that original Diflribution of Time that God had ob- 
 *' ferved in the Works of the Creation, and had 
 *' delivered to the f/rft Parents of Mankind, and 
 " they to their Children. For Men to reckon Time 
 *' by Days and Nights ^ is obvious to Senfe ; nay, and 
 *' to compute Time by Months and Tears ^ hath a iu'^- 
 " ficient Foundation in it from Nature : for Man- 
 " kind cannot avoid. the Obferving the Courfe of the 
 ^' ' Moon^ and ' of _- the 5'2/;7, which makes Months and 
 '' Tears. But why, they fliould count /even 'Dd.js^ 
 " and /Z?^;; begin, again, 'That Yiith no Foundation tm ■ 
 "" Nature ; but miift be taught them from the Tradition 
 " of their Fathers, which could have no other Ori- 
 " ginal than '/to which I am now infilling upon.- 
 " And yet this Way of computing Time by a 
 " Weekly Revolution, obtained throughout all the 
 *' World, as far as we can judge, from the very 
 "• Beginning of Time. That the Patriarchs did fo, 
 '' fome hundreds of Years before the Law of the 
 " Sahhath was given to the Children of IJraeU we 
 " have fufficient Evidence from fundry Texts of 
 " Scripture. That all the antient Nations of which 
 " we have any Hiftory, Egyptians^ Chaldeans ^ Greeks^ 
 " Romans J nay, and the Barbarous Nations too •, I 
 " fay that they did fo likewife, is proved to us from 
 
 " the 
 
 Et alibi, ''ECS'oIJ.oV m^t^ shJ'i ^ TriT riiiM^ alymvla* i- ^- Septimus^ 
 dies erat in quo omnia perfefta i'unt. Kt Linus ^ ^^CJ^oiJLoLrff <^ii ol 
 (lege cT' nol) Tiji^c^rixivet '7rciv\i TirvKlett; Sc rurfus "cCJ^'o^n «V 
 
 /y//H hV 7?A««, Cafaker apud Foil Symp, Critic, in Gen* it, Z> 
 
Religiotis Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 17 
 
 " the ancientefl Records that are extant about them. 
 *' This Pradlice now that had no Foundation in Na- 
 " ture obtaining thus iiniver folly throughout the whole 
 ** World, and that from Time i?n?nemorial ; is to 
 " me a Demonilration that they had it from the 
 " firft Parents of Mankind, and that it was founded 
 *' in God's Inftitution of the feventh Day, beino- fet 
 *' apart for His Service. I do grant indeed they did 
 *' not know the true Reafon why they thus counted 
 " their Days by Sevens: For the Tradition of th^ 
 *' Creadon of the World, and the Inftitution of the 
 " Sabbath was in Time and by Degrees loft among 
 "• them. But yet thus ftill they computed their 
 '' Time, and we that have the Holy Scriptures know 
 " upon what Grounds that Computation was be- 
 " gui> (c)'' Thus far that excellent Prelate ; and 
 what he hath laid down in this PafTage is I think a 
 very fufEcient Proof, at leaft it renders it highly pro- 
 bable, that the Patriarchs did from the Beginning of 
 the World obferve the Sabbath Day, according to 
 God's Appointment. And whereas it is faid by Juf- 
 tin Martyr^ T^ertullian^ Eufebius^ and others of the 
 ancient Writers of the Church, that the Patriarchs 
 who lived before the Time of Mofes^ did not ob~ 
 ferve the Sabbath Bay : This is not to be underftood 
 of their holding religious AITemblies on the feventh 
 Day^ as fome very confiderable Authors have indeed- 
 imagin'd {d)\ but of their keeping theSabbath confider'd 
 ^as a Jewijfh Feilival ; (which was the only Point the an- 
 cient Fathers were concerned about j it being their De- 
 fign to fhew that Men were juftified by the Faith in God, 
 and by a Covenant which God made with all Mankind 
 in yf(:/,^?«, and afterwards renewed in Abrahams without the 
 
 C Works 
 
 {c) Archbiihop Sharp's Sermons^ VoL IF, p. 272, 273. 
 
 (d) Jrchb'ijhop BramhaH'j Worhy p. 912, ^c. HeylinV 
 Hi/lory of the Sabbath, Part /, chap. Hi. Dr Thoniaa Burnet, in 
 Epift. fecunda de Archaeolog. Philofoph. ad calcem Traftat. de 
 Statu Mortuorum & Refurgentium, p. 123, c^r. 
 
1 8 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Works of the Jew'ijh {e) Law) or at kail it is to be 
 underfcGod of a rigid and firi5l Refting upon that 
 Day after the Manner of the Jews ; as a moil learned 
 Writer hath well obfervedf/}. 
 
 But I am fenfible there are two Objedlions, which 
 may be made to this Argumentation ; the clear Solu- 
 tion of which, will fully eilabliih theXruthof /to Point 
 which we are now upon. 
 
 The firft ObjcClion is this ; that fuppofmg it was 
 the Cuilom of all Nadons, and that from the 
 moil early Ages, to compute their Time by ¥/eeks ; 
 yet thdt Cuilom might not be derived from any Pa- 
 triarchal Tradition of the Sabbath Day^ but rather as 
 fome learned Men think (g) from the Number of the 
 feven Planets, which mJght be dilcovered in the 
 Heavens from the very Beginning of Time. In an- 
 fwer to which we may obferve, 
 
 Firft^ That tho' the Ufe of Afironomy was very 
 antient among fome Nations, and parncuhrly the 
 Egyptians (h) and Chaldeans ; yet it is certain, that 
 among odiers, and even the Greeks themlelves, it 
 was of later Invention : And therefore it does not 
 appear, that many of thofc Nations, (who yet com- 
 puted their Time by Weeks) did make any fuch 
 Obfervations of the Heavenly Bodies, as to be a 
 
 fufficie?7t 
 
 (e) Seepariirularly TertuUian adv. Judsos. 
 
 (f)Grotiusin AEi- xi'. z\. 
 
 (g) I fuipedl that the Foundation of Weeks was rather from the 
 Seven Planets^ than, from the Creation of the World in feven 
 Days. Monfieur Le Clerc's Notes on Grotws de Veritat. &c. lib. i. 
 §. 16. Though the mod Ancient of the Greek Poets make 
 mention of x\^t feventh Day, as facrcd to Religion, yet this might 
 proceed either from fome Tradi ionary Account among them of 
 the Mofaic Hiflory of the Creation, or rather, as feems more pro- 
 bable^ from the Order and Number of the feven Planets. Dr 
 Fiddes's Sermons, Svo. Vol. II. p. i io. Ex Gentibus quidamfepti- 
 mum fimiliter diem coluervr.t-tvel prifco ufu vel Juda:rumJmitatione^ 
 
 vel al'iam forte ob caufam fdlicet oh feptem PUnetarum Re^ 
 
 . vo^'-tionem. Synopf purior. Theolog. Difput. xxi. §. 16. 
 (h) P'id. Stillingfieet's Orig. Sacr, Book ii. chap, il 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. lo 
 
 fufficient Ground for fuch Computation. Or if they 
 did •, why they might not have made the fame Com- 
 putation from any other Number of feven^ which they 
 might have difcovered in ISlature^ and particularly 
 from the Seven Stars in the North (which I am fure 
 are much more obvious to common Apprehenfion, 
 than the Seven Planets) no good Reafon can be given. 
 And indeed the great Folly and Weaknefs of buildingany 
 Religious Obfervations upon the Myfleries of Numbers 
 (notwithftanding many great Men have indulged 
 themfelvesin fuch i^^f;?('f J Fancies), hath been largely and 
 fufficiently expofed by the Learned Dr Heylin (k). But, 
 Secondly^ Suppofmg it were more probable, that 
 the Computation of Time by Weeks might be 
 derived from the feven Planets, than from the fame 
 Number, which might be obferved in any other Parts 
 of Nature \ yet that the Number of the Seven Planets 
 was nqt in FaEi the true Ground of this Computation, 
 is very evident from hence ; viz, that it was not 
 only the Cuftom of all Nations to compute their Days 
 by Weeh^ but alfo at the fam.e Time, to obferve 
 every Seventh Day, and keep it holy^ as was jufl nov/ 
 obferved. Now tho' v/e fhould allow (which yet 
 is very ftrange and hard to conceive) that all Nations 
 of the World Ihould agree in compudng their Time by 
 ^^^;^j from the Order and Num.ber of the Seven Planets ; 
 yet all theWit of Mankind cannot difcoverthe leaft Rea- 
 fon in that Number, for the Obfervation of every Seventh 
 Day in the Week, and keeping it holy. And therefore 
 fmce this Obfervation of every Seventh Day, prevailed 
 throughout the World, as well as the' Cuftom of 
 computing their Time by Weeks ; vs^e muil necef- 
 farily afcribe it to fome other Ground and Original, 
 
 C 2 which 
 
 (i) See particularly coricerning the Myflery of the Number 
 Siven^ Cyprian, de Exhortatiene Martyriil & de Spiritu SanSio, 
 Br Boutid de Sabbato Feieris & Novi Tejiamenti p, 124. PraBkesf 
 Piety, i2mo. p. 206, ^c. 
 
 (k), Hift. of Sabbath, Parti, chsp. i, ^, 8. &t. 
 
20 -^ Dijtoiirfe concerning the 
 
 which cannot rationally be conceived to be any Thing 
 elfe than Patriarchal Tradition. Bat, 
 
 Secondly \ Admitting thattheCuftom of obferving^'^'fry 
 Seventh Day, prevailed throughout the World •, yet it is 
 farther objeded, that it can never be proved that this Cuf- 
 tom was derived from the Patriarchal Tradition of the 
 Sabbath •, becaufe it is at leaft very doubtful^ whether the 
 Seventh Day v/hich all Nations are faid to have obfer- 
 ved, was the Seventh Day of every Week^ or the 
 Sevendi Day of every. (J) Months which was confe- 
 crated among the Greeks to the Honour of Apollo (as 
 other Days of the Month were to other Gods) and 
 upon ivhich^ the Ceremonies of the eapyuKU and (m) 
 nL;fi6i'44-/a v/ere performed. But the Anfwer to this 
 Objedlion will be very fhort and eafy. And 
 
 Pirjl^ Suppofmg it were doubtful, whichf that 
 Seventh Day v/as, which the Greek Writers fay was 
 obferved and kept Holy, whether the Sabbath Day 
 properly (pQdkmg^ or the Seventh Day of the Month 
 that was confecrated to Apollo \ yet this Doubt cannot 
 extend to many antient and diftant^ and even barbarous 
 Nations, who had no Correfpondence with the Greeks^ 
 and yet did all of them obferve the Seventh Day : 
 Which they could not poiTibly do by Virtue of the 
 Grecian Laws relating to their Feftivals ; but muft 
 drav/ that Obfervation from fome other Authority and 
 OriginaL And befides, fince the moft ancient and 
 dijlant Nadons, the Barbarous as well as the Polite, 
 computed their Times by Weeks, as was before 
 
 obferved ; 
 
 (/) They v.'ho make fome of thefe Allegations, {viz. concerning 
 the Heathens Obfervation of the Seventh Day as Teftival) do 
 miftake the Day of the Month for the Day of the Week. Arch- 
 iifljop BramhallV JVorks., p. 908. See alfo HeylinV Hijion of 
 the Sabbath. Part I. chap. iv. §.8. BiP)op Stillin'gfleetV Irenicum* 
 Part /. chnX v. />. 97. 
 
 fm) If the Reader hath a Mind to know the Meaning of thc^Te 
 Words, and the Ceremonies performed in thofe Feftivals, let 
 him confult B:/hop Potter's Gred Antiquities, Book ii, (hap. x?!» 
 P- 366. 395, ----- _ - 
 
Religious ObJer'vatiDn of the Lord's Day. 2 1 
 
 pbferved ; it will remain an infuperable Difficulty 
 upon them, who refolve the Obfervation of the Se- 
 venth Day, into the GrcEclan Pradice and Cuftom, to 
 give zny juft and rational Account of the Foundation 
 and Ground of that Computation : Since there is no 
 doubt at all to be made, but that the Cuftom of 
 cofnputing their Time by Weeks, and that of chferving 
 fvery Seventh 'Day (both which prevailed equally in all 
 Ages and Nations of the World) were derived from 
 ihQ fame Fountain and Original. But 
 
 Secondly, It is very clear and evident^ that the 
 Seventh Day, which was chferved and held [acred by 
 all Nations, and in all Ages of the World, was the 
 Seventh Day of every Week, and not that of the Month 
 as dedicated to Apollo \ for this very plainly appears 
 not only from the computing their Time by Weeks^ 
 (which feems to have a neceliary Connexion with the 
 Obfervation of the Seventh Day, as I juft now obferved) 
 but alfo from the Account which many ancient Writers 
 give us of that Obfervation. I'hus Jofephus fpeaking 
 of this Matter, fays, there is no City or Nation, Greek 
 or Baharian, in which the Cuftom of Refting on the 
 Seventh Day is not preferved, as it is among the Jews 
 (n). The fame Thing was obferved before him by Philo 
 JudcBiis, who fpeaking of the Seventh Day, fays, It 
 is a Feftival celebrated not only in one City or 
 Country, but throughout the W^hole {0) World, 
 Now it is well known to every Body that the 
 Seventh Day, which the Jews obferved, was the 
 feventh Day of the Week, which they called their 
 Sahhath, and which they kept by Virtue of the Fourth 
 Commandment : And therefore fince accordino; to 
 
 C 3 ^Phih 
 
 riy-Si 70 gQ.f ^ J^i«.7rt(poiTt}Ki» Jofeph. adv. Apion. lib. 
 ii. cap. XX ix. 
 
 l^hih. de Vita iVIofis lib. ii. ^^ ' - 
 
22 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Philo and Jofephus^ the Gentiles obfervcd every Se- 
 venth Day, and kept it Holy, as the Jews did *> 
 it is very plain that it muft be the Seventh Day 
 of every IFeek^ and not that of the Month (which 
 was facred to Apollo) as feme have imagined. And 
 this is farther demonilrable from thofe PafTages of the 
 Greek Poets, before mentioned {p) % who give this 
 as the Reafon v/hy the Seventh Day was obferved 
 and kept Holy, viz, b^caufe all 'Things were made and 
 jinijhed on that Day : Which is a Reafon that, I am 
 fare, hath not the leail Relation to the Grcecian 
 Feflivals, obferved on the Seventh Day of the Month 
 in Honour of Apollo ; but is plainly Declarative 
 of the Original Cudom of obferving the Sabbath 
 Day in Memory of the Creation \ becaufe as Mofes 
 exprelTes it, God refted on that Bay from all His Work 
 which He had created arid made . Gen. it. 3. And the 
 Univerfality of this Notion and Pradlice is often 
 taken Notice of by Philo., Jofephus., and other Au- 
 thors •, and is made Ufe of by them as anArgument to 
 fhew, how the Pagans had borrowed their Cuftoms 
 from the Hebrews : Though, as an Excellent Divine 
 truly obfsrves, they might better have faid, how both 
 had borrowed from the fame common Fountain of 
 Patriarchal {q) Tradition. And it will be no Objedion 
 at all to this \ that as a moft Learned Writer truly 
 obferves (r), it will be very difficult to determine 
 in what Manner the ancient Pagans obferved the 
 Seventh Bay^ and kept it holy •, v/hether by any Public 
 Religious Cuflom, or by fome Private Superftition. 
 It is fafficient to my Purpofe, that as they computed 
 
 their 
 
 (p) See above p. ?6. 
 
 iq) Archdeacon WaUrland'% firfi: Charge to the Clergy of Mid- 
 dlejex^ \Tiy\. p 42. See the Place. 
 
 (r) Bifliop Stillingjleet's Irenicumy lib. i. (hap. v- p. 97» 
 Vid, etiam Burnet in Bpiji, 11, de Archaolog, Fbilojoph, 
 p. 138. 
 
Religious Obferuation of the Lord's Day. 23 
 
 their Time by Weeh^ fo xhty peculiarly obferved and 
 horoured the Seventh Day in fome Refpe6t or other •, 
 and that in Memory of the Creation^ and becaufe all 
 Things were made and fmifhed on /toDay. And indeed, 
 as a very Learned Bifhop of our Church v/ell remarks, 
 *' It appears that the Obfervation of the Seventh 
 *' Day is a very fit Matter to be fixed by fome 
 " facred 2ind perpetual Law, and that from the Jirjl 
 " Creation : Becaufe there being then no other Me- 
 " thod for conveying down Knowledge, befides 
 '' Oral 'tradition \ it feems as highly congruous to that 
 " State as it is agreeable to the Words in GenefiSy 
 " to believe that God fhould then have appointed G7ie 
 *' Day in feven for commemorating the Creation^ 
 " and for acknowledging the Great Creator of all 
 «' Things ( j)." 
 
 And thus I think it is very clear and evident^ that 
 the Sabbath Day was obferved from the Beginning of 
 the World ; and that in virtue of God's Command, 
 which exprefsly required that it fhould be kept and 
 celebrated in Memory of the Creation. 
 
 ^irdly^ We may flirther take notice, that God in a 
 particular Manner commanded the Jews to obferve the 
 Sabbath Bay ; and in many Places of Scripture is very 
 much difpleafed and offended with them for their Ne- 
 glect of it. Thus, Remember the Sabbath Day to keep 
 it holy, Exod. xx, 8. and again. Keep the Sabbath Day 
 to fanEiify it, Deut,v. 12. 
 
 It is true indeed, thefe were Commandments that 
 were given to the Jews^ and may therefore be faid not" 
 at all to concern us Chriflians. And fo far it is certain, 
 that as the Sabbath is a Jewijh Law, we are not obliged 
 by it ; and confequendy not bound to obferve thQ 
 Jewijh Sabbath, as will be feen hereafter in it's proper 
 place. But we are obliged to San(5lify one Day in 
 
 feven 
 
 (x) Burnet on the XXXIX Article?, Artie, VII, p. 10^. 
 
24 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 feven by the Command of God, as I have before fhewn 
 in Memory oi the Creation : And moreover, our 
 BlelTed Saviour hath laid the fame Obhgation upon us, 
 by adopting the 'T'en Commandments^ into the Moral 
 Law of His Gofpel, and making no Exception to 
 that of the Fourth. This is plain from His Anfwer to 
 the Young Man, If thou wilt enter into Life^ keep the 
 Commandments'. Matt. xix. 17. And that by //6^ are 
 meant the Ten Commandments^ is very evident, becaufe 
 our Saviour inftances in feveral of them, 1;. 18, 19, 
 I am well aware, there hath been great Difpute 
 upon this PafTage of Scripture, and many curious En- 
 quiries raifed therefrom •, and particularly, why our 
 Lord, when He plainly referred to the Ten Com7nand- 
 i ments^ mentioned only thofe of the Second Table ? 
 But I fliall not trouble my Readers with them. If 
 any one hath a Mind to be fatisfted in thofe Niceties, 
 let him confult the Commentators upon the Place. 
 At prefent I fhall only obferve, that the Weakneis of 
 thofe Mens Reafoning is very great, who would infer 
 from that Paflage that Religion confiils entirely m 
 Moral Righteoufnefs, and that the Duties of the Second 
 Table only are of neceflary Obligation ; fince there is 
 nothing more ufual in Scripture, as well as in all other 
 Writings, than (0 Synecdoche^ Partis pro I'oto^ i. e. the 
 exprefTing the whole of any Thing by a Part of it. Nay, 
 there are innumerable Paflages in Holy Scripture, 
 where Religion is fignified and defcribed by one fingle 
 Grace and Ftrtue : In the Old TesJament commonly by 
 the Knowledge or Remembrance of God. Prov. xxx. 3. 
 Eccl. xii. I . and very often by the Fear of God, as 
 
 in 
 
 (/) Chriftus hie tantum memorat prscepta fecundae Tabulae : 
 non quod hasc praeceptis prims Tabulae funt potiora ; fed quod 
 homini eflent faciliora & notiora, ut' inde argueret fuperbiam 
 Phaiifaicam : Sub illis tamen Synecdochice ifta intelligi vult, Ar- 
 gumento a minore ad majus, cum longe devinctior Deo Tit homo 
 quam proximo, Luc, Bruges J in lo(. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 25 
 
 in the Book of Joh^ the Proverbs^ and the Pfahns^ 
 And in the New 'Testament Religion is expreffed by 
 Faith in God and Chrifr, and by the Lo've of Them. 
 Heh, xi 6. and Rom. 'viii. 28. ^ pajjim. And our 
 BlefTed Saviour well knew the Perfon to whom He 
 fpake, and that He was too well acquainted with the 
 "Ten Cojnmandments^ to ftand in need of" a particular Re- 
 cital of them. And to thofe, who ask why our Blef- 
 fed Saviour, when He repeated fome of the T^en Com- 
 mandments., mentioned only thofe of the Second Table, 
 and none of the Firft, we may return this Anfwer, 
 njvz. That tho' it is certain that the Laws of the Firfl 
 Table are equally binding and neceffary, as thofe of 
 the Second, yet our Saviour might choofe to inftance 
 at that Time only in the latter \ and that for thefe two 
 Reafons. 
 
 Firft., That He might let us know, that the great 
 Duties of Ri^hteoufnefs and Charity towards our Neigh- 
 bour, are a Main and Principal Part of Religion, and 
 one of the greateft Proofs and Evidences which we can 
 give of our Love to {u) God •, as the Apoflle hath 
 well obferved. He that loveth not his Brother whom 
 he hath feen^ how can he love God., whofn he hath 
 not feen ? John iv. 20. in which Senfe St Paul., when 
 fpeaking of the Love of our Neighbour, laith that 
 Love is the fulfilling cf the Law, Rom. mi. 10. 
 And fecondly. Our Blefied Saviour might do this^ 
 the more etfedually to convince the Jezvs from their 
 own Law, of that great Errour and Mifbake which 
 they had fallen into *, viz. of placing Religion in a 
 Rigorous Obfervation of the Sabbath., and in the Exter- 
 nal Parts of Piety and Devodon, and in imagining 
 
 that 
 
 («)Obfervatione dignumeft, iterum iterumque in NovoTedamento 
 fada mentione totius Legis in Secunda tantum Tabula exemplifi- 
 cari, ut hie, 'm Sz Rom. xiii. 8,9. Jac. ii. 8, 11. Charitas erga 
 proximum eft Religionis apex & fignum indubitatifTimum amorii 
 erga Deum, Ughtfoot in loc^ 
 
26 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 that their great Zeal in thefe Particulars would atone 
 for the Negled of Moral Duties: Which was a 
 Matter that our Lord often reproved them for in the 
 Holy Gofpel {x) •, as the Prophets had alfo done before 
 him {y), Thefe, with many other Reafons might be 
 given, why our Bleffed Saviour when He referred to 
 thdTen Commandments inftancedonly inthofe of the Second 
 Table , without detradting by any means from the Di- 
 vine Authority and Obligation of the Firft Table. 
 For it is demonftrable that the three firft Command- 
 ments of that Table are of the fame Eternal and Indif- 
 penfable Obligation as thofe of the fecond •, and the 
 fourth Commandment, fo far as it relates to the Duty 
 of fetting apart fome Time for the Public Worfhip 
 and Service of God is of the fame Nature (z) : Ex- 
 cepting the Particular Limitation of that Time, which 
 entirely depends upon Pofitive Inftitution. And it 
 would be highly impous as well as ahfurd to fuppofe 
 that our Bleffed Saviour by fpecifying cnly the Com- 
 mandments of tht fecond Table, fhould thereby defign 
 to difcharge us from thofe of the frft :, zvhen they are 
 in themfelves equally binding and obligatory, and 
 when God had confirmed and eftablifhed them under 
 fuch fevere Penalties. It is very plain then, that by 
 the. Commandments here referred to the whole Deca- 
 logue is meant and fignified -, and confequently, the 
 fourth Cojnmandment is binding to us, as well as the 
 reft : i. e. Our Bleffed Saviour by requiring the Obfer- 
 vation of this Lav/ in His Gofpel hath renewed the 
 Obligation thereof upon us ; in the fame manner, 
 as by enjoining the great Law of Univerfal Righteouf- 
 nefs (which as He Himfelf declares Matt, vii, 21. 
 wa§ the Law and the Prot)hets), He hath adoped it into 
 
 Chrifiianity 
 
 (x) See particularly Matt, xxiii. 
 
 {y ) Ifaiah /. 1 1, (^c. chap. Ixvi 3. Jer. vi. 20. Amos. v.z\. 22. 
 
 (2) See Archbifhop BramhalTs Works/). 908, 909, in which it 
 is clearly ftiewn how far the Obfervation of the Seventh Pay is 
 founded upon the Law of Nature, and how far it is not. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 27 
 
 Chriftianity^ and made it Go/pel ; as a moft Excellent 
 Prelate very judicioufly {a) obferves. 
 
 But to this I forefee it will be objedled, that if our Blef- 
 fed Saviour hath adopted t\it fourth Commandment into 
 the Chriftian Religion and made it Part of His Gofpel^ it 
 will follow from hence that we are bound to obferve the 
 JewiJJj Sabbath, and confequently to keep the fame 
 Day of the Week for our Sabbath, which the Jews 
 did : Which is in itfelf very abfurd to fuppofe, and 
 is plainly contrary to leveral Places of the New Tefta- 
 ment^ and particularly to that in Coloff. it, 16, 17. 
 And indeed it muft not be denied, that fome very 
 Learned Men have been of that Opinion ; and be- 
 caufe they could not get rid of this Confequence^ they 
 have therefore concluded, that our BleiTed Saviour 
 and His Apoftles have made no Determination about 
 the Sahhath in the New Teftament •, but that all its Au- 
 thority and Obligation is to be refolved into Ecclefiaf- 
 tical and Civil Conilitution. But now tho' it is very 
 certain, that if there be no Law in Scripture relating 
 to this Matter, it will properly fall within the Power 
 and Jurifdidion of our Governours both in Church and 
 State, as hath been obferved in Part already, and will 
 be more fully fhewn in the Sequel : I fay, tho* this 
 cannot fairly be difputed ; yet the Weaknefs of thofe 
 Men's Reafoning, who infer from our Saviour's adopt- 
 ing the fourth Commandment into the Moral Law of 
 
 His 
 
 [a) Archbilhop TUlotfonh Sermon on Moral Ri^hteoufnefs, preached 
 at Cripplegate 1661. p. 14. And what this Excellent Perfon here 
 lays down, is in EiFeft, acknowledged by a very Learned Writer, 
 who is of a different Opinion and judgment in this Matter ; who, 
 tho' he doth not allow that the Fourth Commandment obligeth 
 Chriftians legally and preceptwely^ yet affirms that it obligeth them 
 equitably and exemplartly ; becaufe Chriftians ought not to come 
 Ihort of the Jews in the Performance of Religious Duties. Nay, 
 fays he in another place, we are more bound to God than the 
 Jezosy and ought at leail to pay him as much Moral Duty and 
 Service as they. Bramhair^Worh p. ^^x, ^\^. 
 
28 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 His Gofpel, that therefore we are bound to obferve the 
 ParHcular Day of the Jewijh Sabbath, will be fufficient- 
 ly difcovered even from the Old 'Teftament itfelf. For if 
 we look into the Law of the Sabbath^ as given by Mofes 
 in Exod. xx. and Deut. v. we Ihall clearly perceive 
 that there were two different Grounds and Reafons, for 
 which the Sabbath was appointed to the Jeix;s. The 
 firfl Reafon of this Infcitution, as it is given in Exod. 
 'XX, is no other than that, for which the Sabbath 
 was appointed from the Beginning of the World, zjz. 
 that it fliould be obferved in Memory of the Works of 
 Creation ; for that is all that is faid in this Place of 
 Scripture, Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy, &c. 
 and then the Reafon is given at the eleventh Verfe, for 
 in fix Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea 
 and all that in them is, and refted on the feventh Day ; 
 wherefore the Lord bleffed the feventh Day, and hallowed 
 it. Now this is exadly the fame Reafon for the Ap - 
 pointment of the Sabbath, as was before given in Gen, 
 a. 3. And therefore in that Refped:, it concerned the 
 Jews no otherwife than it does any other People. And 
 indeed to fpeak properly, the Lav/ of the Sabbath, as 
 delivered in Exod. xx, is not a new Law, but a Renewal 
 and Confirmation of the old-, as many good Critics have 
 well obferved (b). For, in the fecond place, when 
 
 the 
 
 (b) Memento diem Sabbati, c^r. Hac voce utitur ("Mofes j at nos 
 yemitt t ad prim&vam Sibbati Inllitutionem Gen ii. 3. cujus 
 Memoriam renovare voluit. Gerundenfis in Exod. xx. 8. Ergo 
 addi^-ur in Deut. v. ficut prcccepit tibi Dominus nimirum jam dim 
 ab Or bis initio, nempe Gen. ii. 3. Diftinguitur enim prasceptum 
 pa cultus a praecepto otii^ h caufis <^ temporibm. lllud caufam 
 habuit mundum conditum, & a conditu rtvumfuit ; hoc, Mgyptia- 
 cam Servitutem, &po{l earn incepit : lllud zd. genus humanum per- 
 tinet J hoc ad £^r^w folos, Exod xxxi, 13. Ita & Iren. Grot, 
 ibid. And the fame Senfe of this Place is followed by Archbijhop 
 Wake(ExpQrition of the Catechifm, §. 26). Archbijhop Sharp 
 (Sermons Vol. IV. p. 294, 295) Bijhop Pearfon (on the Creed p, 
 26r). Bijhop Burnet(on XXXIX Articles, Article VIi;. Dr Clarke 
 (Expofitionofthe Catechifm/'. 175, iy6).And by innumerable othir 
 Divines of the greatejl Learning arid Judgtnent, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 29 
 
 the Law of the Sabhath is given to the Jews in particu- 
 lar^ Deut, 1;. 12, ^c. there we find fuch a Reafon laid 
 down for the Appointment of this Law, as was peculiar 
 to That People : for thus it is expreffed. And remem- 
 ber that thou waft a Servant in the Land of Egypt^ and 
 that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a 
 mighty Hand and a ft retched out Arm^ therefore the Lord 
 thy God commanded thee to ke^p the Sabbath Day. And 
 indeed, as Archbifhop iVake well remarks, " it be- 
 " came very needfiil for God to renew the Obligation 
 " of the Sabbath at the giving of the Law by Mcfes ; 
 '' as'it was needful for him to renew many other Pre- 
 " cepts, which yet were certainly given by Him, and 
 " obferved in the World long before. No body 
 '' queftions but that Adam and his firft Defcendants 
 " both knew and worfhipped i^t true God-, yet this 
 " was provided for again now. So immediately after 
 " the Flood the Law againft Murther was folemnly 
 '' promulged, Gen. ix. 6 •, yet neverthelefs the fame 
 *' Command was here again repeated, Excd. xx. 13. 
 *' As for the Cafe before us ; as Men lived farther off 
 " from the Creation, and Wickednefs prevailed over 
 " the Face of the Earth, and the true IVorJhip of God 
 '' was corrupted by almoft an univerfal Idolatry ; fb 
 " was the folemn Day of His Worjhip negledled like- 
 ^' wife. And tho' it may have been in fome Meafure 
 " revived after the Flood, and continued in fome Part 
 " of Abraham^ s Family ; yet in their Egyptian Slavery 
 " it was utterly abolifhed \ fo that the very Memory 
 *' of it feems to have been loft among them (V)." 
 Thus far this very Excellent Prelate -, and from what 
 hath been here obferved out of him, and the other 
 Writers juft mentioned, it fully appears that this No- 
 tion of God's renewing the Sabbath at the Time of His 
 giving the Law by Mofes to the Jews, is no vain Fan- 
 cy 
 
 (r) Expofuion of the Catechifm ilnd. 
 
30 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 cy and Imagination (as Dr Heylin and others would 
 fain reprefent it), but is fupported by the Judgment 
 of the Greateil and Wifeft Men ; and moreover hath 
 a very fufficient Foundation in the Authority and Ex- 
 ample of Holy Scripture. And it is no Objedtion at 
 all to this, that when God requires the Jews to obferve 
 tht Sabbath m Exod. xxxL 13, &c. and gives no other 
 Ground and Reafon for it, but only that it fhould be 
 done in Memory of the Creation •, He yet affirms, 
 that it is a Sign hePween Him and the Children of Ifrael^ 
 V. 17. This will not prove that the Law of the Sab- 
 oath was given only to the Ifraelites^ as fome JezviJJj 
 Writers {d ) did indeed iuppofe, tho' the mod learned 
 and judicious Writers of that Nation were of another 
 Opinion, as was before taken notice of. For it hath 
 been already clearly proved, that the Law of the Sab- 
 hath was given to Mankind from the Creation of the 
 World, and was obferved by the moft ancient and 
 diflant Nations of the Earth, as well as the Jews : and 
 therefore when it is laid in Exod. xxxi, 17, that the Sab- 
 bath was a Sign between Gcd and the Children of Ifraelfor 
 ever •, it can mean no more than the particular Day 
 which the Jews were to obferve in token of their De- 
 liverance from the Land of Egypt ^ as well as in Me- 
 mory of the Creation., and the ftriB and regular (e) 
 Manner in which they were to keep it. Or if the 
 PafTage be fuppofed to relate only to the Remembrance 
 of the Creation J fmce no other Ground of the Sabbath 
 is there mentioned •, yet itcannot poflibly fignify any 
 thing farther, than that when the Jews Ihould obferve 
 the Sabbath in Memory of the Creation^ by confidering 
 and pradtifing the Duties and Obligations which arife 
 
 there- 
 
 (^) Vid. Ainfworth in loc. 
 
 { e ) Signum inter Mc & vos (Sabbatum) Quod obfervari jubeo, 
 uttotum ilium diem impendati" recoynofcendobereficium Creationis, 
 & ilium tranfigendo in Cultu Divino, in audito vcrbi in precibus §1 
 Sacrificiis. Mahenda in Exod* xiii. 13. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 3. i 
 
 therefrom •, this fliould be a full and fufficient Sign and 
 Evidence that they were God's People, and that they 
 acknowledged Him to be the True ( e) God. This, 
 I fay, muit be the Senfe of that Expreflion in E'^od, xxxL 
 17, and not that the obferving one Day mfevefi in Me- 
 mory of the Creation was a Law peculiarly given to the 
 Jews, or a Sign by which God would diftinguifh them 
 from all other People, as fome of them vainly ima- 
 gined ; and as fome Chriftian Writers (/) do them- 
 felves contend : for this Opinion is utterly irreconcile- 
 able wih the Truth of Holy Scripture, which plainly 
 declares that the Sabbath was to be kept before the Law 
 was given at Mount Sinai, even from the very Crea- 
 tion, Gen. ii. 3 ', and therefore that it was a Com- 
 mandment enjoined by God to all Mankind. And 
 it is only the Deliverance from the Land of Egypt^ 
 which is the true Ground and Reafon of the Sabbath^ 
 as it is a Jewifh Inilitution i and this v/as that which 
 determined the particular Day v/hich the Jews obfer- 
 ved {g), and which was difcovered to tnem by the 
 Manna's ceafing to drop upon that Day, as it did on 
 
 the 
 
 (/) Signum inter Me & vos (Sabbatum) Documentum commune 
 interNosj Mei, ut Creatoris, Domini, & San6lificantis ; Ve'lri 
 autem, ut qui creati cilis, & populusmeus, Sc Sandificati. IJem 
 ibid. 
 
 (/) Vid. Burnet in Epill. II. de Archaeolog, Philofoph. pag. 
 134? ^c. 
 
 {g) Did God therefore command the Obfervation of the Sabbath 
 (i. e. one Day infeven) becaufc He brought the Children of Ifrael 
 out of Egypt ? That cannot be ; for the Reafon is quire otherwife 
 given, both in the Beginning of Genefis and in the Delivery of the 
 Ten Commandments in the twentieth of Ex'Jus. By both thefc 
 Places it appears, that God therefore commanded the Obfervation 
 of OM Day mfeveny becaufc that He made the World mftx Days, 
 and refted on ihc/eventb. This therefore muft be the Meaning of 
 that Text,- God therefore commanded the Obfervation of that 
 particular Day in the feven^ as a Day of Reft to the yewi, be- 
 caufe that on tb4 Day He delivered His Peop'e from the Bondage 
 of Egypt. Arcbbijbop SharpV Sermon s. Vol. IF. p. 294, 295, 
 
32 A Difcourfe concernhtg the 
 
 the other fix Days of the Week •, of which we read 
 in Exod. xvi, and fhall have occafion to take more 
 Notice hereafter. 
 
 Now fmce there is fuch a plain Diftindiion in the 
 Law of the Sabbath^ as given by Mofes to the Jews ; 
 and there were two different Grounds and Reafons of 
 it's Appointment: Our Blefled Saviour might very 
 well Renew the Obfervation of the Sabbath as to the 
 Primary Ground of it's Infiitution, without laying us 
 under any Obligation to keep the Particular Day 
 which the Jeivs did •, which depended upon fuch Rea- 
 fons as were peculiar to that People, and v/ith which 
 no other Nation of the World was in the lead con- 
 cerned. And fince it is very apparent, that ih^Jezvs 
 obferved oiie Day in eVery Week, in Memory of the 
 Creation^ and that the Particular Day kept by them 
 was grounded upon their Deliverance from the Land 
 of Egypt ; the fame Jnakgy will prove that it is 
 in no v/ife abfurd for Chrijlians to obferve the Sab- 
 hath upon a two-fold Account {h) •, the Firft in Re^ 
 membrance of the Creation of the World ; the 0- 
 ther in Token of a much Greater Deliverance than 
 that of the Jews from the Land of Egypt^ viz. their 
 Deliverance from the Guik of Sin and the Power 
 of Death, by the RefurredHon of Jejus Chrift from the 
 Dead (i). And yet befides this Di(lin(5lion of the 
 Ground of the Sabbath in the Law of Mofes itfelf, there 
 
 is 
 
 {h) yidy Ainfworth in Exod. x:^. lo. 
 
 (/) The Moral Law requiring a feventh Part throughout the 
 Age of the who^e World, to be that way employ'd ; although with 
 us the Day be changed, in regard of a new Revolution begun by 
 our Saviour Chrift, yet the fame Proportion of Time continucth, 
 which was before ; becaufe in Reference to the Benefit of the 
 Creation, and now much more of Renovation thereunto added by 
 Him, who was Prince of the World to come j we are bound to ac- 
 count the Sandification of 077^ Day \Tifeven^2i Huty, which God's/^- 
 mutable Law doth exa(fk for ever. Hooker''^ E(c}. Polity f Bcok t;. 
 
Religious Obfervaf ion of the Lord's Day. 33 
 
 is a very good Reafon to be given, why our Bleffed 
 Saviour when He referred to the ^en Commandments^ 
 did not make any Exception to the Particular Day of 
 the Jewifh Sabbath ; and that is, becaufe the Obliga- 
 tion of that Day was yet in Force ; the Jewijh Ordi- 
 nances not being abrogated 'till the Death of Chrift^ 
 when as St Paul obferves, our Saviour blotted, out the 
 Hand-writing of Ordinances that was againft us^ and took 
 it out of the Way^ nailing it to His Crofs (k). Col. ii, 
 14. And therefore fmce God had fo plainly com- 
 manded us to obferve the feventh Day in Memory of 
 the Creation^ and Mofes had as plainly renewed the Ob- 
 fervation of this Command at the giving of the Law ; 
 our Bleffed Saviour might very well in His Gofpel, 
 refer to the Fourth Commandment, without making 
 any Particular Explication of the Nature and Obliga- 
 tion thereof •, leaving that Matter to be fully fettled 
 and determined by the Judgment and Practice of the 
 Holy Apoftles, Which fhews the great Weaknefs of 
 thofe Men's Reafoning, who think that if we are at all 
 obliged to obferve the Sabbath Day m virtue of Chrijl's 
 Authority and Command, we are obliged to obferve 
 it at the fame Time, and in the fa??ie Manner, which the 
 Jews did : For this depended entirely upon their own 
 Laws and Conilitutions ; and therefore can lay no Ob- 
 ligadon upon us, but in fuch Cafes, where there is 
 a Parity of Reafon, or where v/e have received Di- 
 redions from Chrifl or His Apoftles. Of which more 
 hereafter. 
 
 And thus much I thought abfolutely necefTary to be 
 obferved upon this Point, in Vindicadon of the Ho- 
 
 D nour 
 
 [k] The Meaning of this r xpreffion is this, It was one Way 
 among the Ancients of cancelling a Bond or Writing, to dr've a 
 Nail through it . In Conformity to which Cullom, when St Paul 
 Would fignify to us our Freedom from the Obligation of the Lav/ 
 of Mofes, he expreffes it by Cbr^fs taking atua^j the Band -"jjriting 
 that was againjl us^ and nailing it to Bis Crofs. Vid. Grot, in 
 loc^ 
 
34 ^i DifcoLirfe concerning the 
 
 nour of our Eftablifhed Church ; as to her inferting the 
 fourth Commandment into her Communion Service, 
 and adding that Petition after the Rehearfing of that 
 Commandment, which is done after the others, viz. 
 Lord have Mercy i4pon us^ and incline our Hearts to keep 
 this Law, For this hath been oftentimes urged againft 
 the Church as if hereby fhe had confirmed the Obfer-^ 
 vationoi the Jewifi Sabbath. The famous Mr Chilling- 
 worth feemed to be of this Opinion, who in his Let- 
 ter to Dr Sheldon (afterwards Archbifhopof Canterbury) 
 September 21, 1635, gives this as one Reafon, why 
 he could not fubfcribe to our Church Por?ns, viz. ' be- 
 
 * caufe that to fay t\\t fourth Commandment, is a Law 
 
 * of God appertaining to Chriflians^ isfalfe and iinlaw- 
 ' ful (l)" And the Learned Dr Heylin goes into the 
 fame way of Thinking, by alledging that if '' Thaf 
 *-' Petition {Lord have Mercy upon us^ &c.) which is 
 ^'^ to be ufed after the Repetition of the fourth Com- 
 *' mandment, be to be underilood in a literal Senfe, 
 *' according as the Words are laid down in terminis •, 
 " it muft then be the Meaning of the Common Prayer 
 '' Book, that we fliould pray unto the Lord to keep 
 '' the Sabbath of the Jezvs, and that in the felffame 
 *' Manner which they did: For, faith he, of the 
 " Changing of the Day there is nothing faid, nor 
 '' nothing intimated ; but the whole Law laid down 
 " m terminis, as the Lord delivered it." And there- 
 fore he could find no other Way to extricate him- 
 felf out of this Difficulty, but by conceiving that 
 the " Intent and Meaning of the Church in that Pe- 
 '' titlon, was to teach her People to pray to the Lord 
 " to incline their Hearts to keep that Law, fo far as 
 '' it contained the Law of Nature^ and had been en- 
 " tertained in the Chriftian Church ; as alfo to have 
 ^' Mercy on them for the Negled thereof in thofe 
 
 '' Holy 
 
 (/; yid, lVhiJlQ?l% Hiftorical Memoirs of the Life of Dr Clarket 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 3^ 
 
 *' Holy Days^ which by the Wifdom and Authority 
 *' of His Church, had been fet apart for God's Pub- 
 " lie Service." And he further fuppofes, " that this 
 " Petition was put into the Common Prayer Book to 
 *' crufh the Furious Fancies of the Jmhaptijls, in their 
 *' not hallowing certain Days and Times to God's 
 " Public Service (;;/)." This is the Reprefentation 
 which this very Learned Perfon makes of the Senfe 
 and Judgment of our Church in this Matter. But 
 that he hath not given a True Account of the Senk 
 and Judgment of our Church upon this Point, is J 
 think very clear and evident. For tho' the Law of 
 Nature does plainly require, that fome Particular Time 
 be fet apart for God's Public Worihip, as hath been 
 already proved ; yet there is no more Reafon from tbaS 
 Law, why o?ie Day in /even fliould be confecrated to 
 that Purpofe^ than one in fix or eighty as Dr Heylin 
 himfelf obferves {n). If therefore the Defign of our 
 Church in the inferting that Petition after the Fourth 
 Commandment, be only as Dr Heylin firft fuppofes, 
 to dire6t us to pray to God, to incline our Hearts to 
 keep that Law fo far as it contained the Law of Na- 
 ture ; then I humbly conceive there would be this 
 great Abfurdity attending fuch Petition, viz, that we 
 fhould therein pray to God, that we might keep one 
 Day in /even as He had fpecially determined in that 
 Commandment v and yet mean no more thereby, than 
 that we might ferve ¥im\puhlickly at fome flated Seafons, 
 by virtue of the L^-^ of Nature whichhath made no fpecial 
 Determination of one Time more than another : For to 
 ufe his own Words, the whole Law is laid down in the 
 'Terms in which the Lord delivered it. And tho' the Church 
 (on whofe Authority, according to Dr Heylin^ the Ob- 
 ligation of the Lord's Day entirely {0) depends) hath 
 D 2 appointed 
 
 [m) Hiftory of the Sabbath^ Part II. chap. viii. $. 3. 
 
 {n Part I chap i^ $ 7. 
 
 \'o) Preface to the Hiliory of the Sabbath^ p. 5, & pajpm. 
 
36 A DifcDurfe concerning the 
 
 appointed the keeping of one Day in fevsn for our 
 ChriHian Sahhath ; yet if as that Author argues 
 throughout his whole Book, the Law of the Sahhath 
 in Exod. xx. was given folely to the Jewj, and the Parti- 
 cular Day fpecified therein, v/hich as he intimates was 
 the very fame D.iy of the Week on which God refted 
 from all His Works (p) -, then the fecond Account 
 given by him, of our Ufe of the Petition after the 
 Fourth Command mient, viz. "that therein we beg of 
 *' God to incline our Hearts to keep this Lav/, fo far as 
 " it hath he en entertained in the Chrifiian Church, is very 
 *' falfe and abfurd alfo." For the Sahhath 7)^jy(confidered 
 zs2.jewijh Feftival) was never obferved by the Catholic 
 Church, as a Law of God from the Beginning of Chri- 
 ftianity to this Day : Tho' the Primitive Chriftians 
 did indeed for fome Ages obferve the Sahhath as well 
 as the Lord's Bay, by holding their public AfTemblies 
 thereon, the Reafons of which v/ill be hereafter ittn 
 in their proper Place. And moreover in this View, 
 (fmce, as I juft now intimated, we repeat the Law of 
 God in our Church, in His own exprefs 'Terms) we 
 fnall pray to God in this Petition, To i?icline cur Hearts 
 to keep holy the feventh Day of the IVeek, at the fame 
 Time that by the A-ppointment of our Governours, 
 v/e obferve only the frfi Day *, which would be a Con- 
 tradidlion. But I hope better Things of our Church, 
 than that fhe fhould require us in her Public Offices to 
 pray to God for one Thing, and mean quite another. 
 And indeed it is abfolutely impoffible, on any other 
 Suppofition than hath been laid down, under this 
 Head •, to deliver the LourthCornmandment andtheP^/i/f(?;/ 
 thereto annexed in our Communion Service, from that 
 Confufion and Perplexity which will for ever attend 
 them upon Dr Heylin^s Scheme. But if we attentively 
 confider what hath been delivered in the foregoing 
 Part of this Chapter, it will make the whole Matter 
 
 very 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 37 
 
 very eafy and plain. For fines, as I have obferved, 
 the Law of the Sabhath^ was given by God at tlie 
 Creation of the World, and the Law delivered in Exod. 
 XX. is only a Renewal and Confirmation of the Former ; 
 and further, fmce as I before proved, any public Day 
 of Rett which is dedicated to God's Worfhip, may as 
 properly be called a Sabbath as the feventb Day of the 
 We^.k, which the Jews obferved : it very clearly fol- 
 lows from hence, that the Church might require all 
 her Members to celebrate one Day in every Week in 
 Memory of the Creation^ according to God's Com- 
 mandment, by rehearfmg to them the fourth Pi'ecept of 
 the Law, in which that Commandment is contained ; 
 without laying them under any Obligation to keep the 
 Pardcular Day of the Jewijh Sabbath, which depended 
 upon fach Reafons, as were peculiar to the Jews -, and 
 was difcovered to them by a remarkable Difpenfition 
 of Providence, of which more hereafter. It is there- 
 fore very clear and certain, that the Church by the Re- 
 cital of the fourth Commandment and the Petition 
 which is fubjoined, did not mean that we fhould beg 
 of God to incline our Hearts to keep the Law of the 
 Sabbath Bay fo far only as it contained the Law of Na- 
 ture, and had been entertain'd in the Chriffian Church ; 
 and much lefs to declare, as Dr Heylin further fuppofes, 
 that certain Holy Days eftablilhed by her Authority 
 fhould be duly obferved ; fince, as a Learned Writer 
 ■wdl remarks, " No body could ever fhew how 
 *' this jumble of certain Holy Days (without regard to 
 " the ^Cbnftian Sabbath more than to any other) is 
 " countenanced by tht fourth Commandment (^) : " but 
 that one Day in every Week fliould be fet apart for 
 God's Public Worfhip and Service -, and that by vir- 
 tue of a Divine Law. And fince as Dr Heylin and 
 others truly obferve, it is abfurd to fuppofe thiit this 
 D 3 ^ fliculd 
 
 (q) Hi// on the Fourth Commandment, Dircourlc J. p. 6. 
 
38 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 fhould be the Jewijh Sabbath -, it muft then be the keep- 
 ing of one Day in /even in Memory of the Creation^ 
 which God firfl required in Gen. it. and afterwards re^ 
 newed in E)cod xx. as was before lliewn. And that this 
 is the True Senfe and Judgment of our Church in this 
 Matter, Teems to me very evident from the Dodlrine of 
 our Church upon this Point, in the firfl Part of tht Homily 
 concerning the Place and Time of Prayer. For 
 after the Church hath there proved, that we are not 
 bound to keep the Particular Day of the Jewijh Sab- 
 hath^ fhe proceeds to fhew thefe two Things. Firft^ 
 that by t\iQ fourth Commandment we are obliged to that 
 which the Law of Nature requires of us, which is to fet 
 apart fome Particular Time for the Manifellation of 
 God's Glory, ^c. And fecondly^ that this Time 
 thus fet ap irt, ought to be one Day in feven -, and that 
 not barely by way of Conformity to the Example and 
 Pradice of Chriftians, as Dr Heylin fuppoles •, but be- 
 canfe fays the Homily^ God hath given Exprefs Charge 
 to all Men^ that upon the Sabbath Day, which is our 
 Sunday, they fhould ceafe from their Weekly Labours, 
 &"€. for which the Homily gives this Reafon, viz. that 
 God wrought fix Days, and re^ed on the feventh and 
 fan^lifiedit : which is the very Thing I have been prov- 
 ing. A ft range AfTertion indeed ! if according to Dr 
 Heylin, the Law of the Sabbath in Exod. xx, had been 
 given only to the jezvs •, and obliged all thofe, who 
 acknowledge the Authority of that Law, to keep 
 their Sabbath on the very fame Day which they did. 
 And the NecelTity of obferving one Day in every Week 
 by God's Command, is feveral times repeated in the 
 following Parts of that Homily. 
 
 And then as to the fecond Part of the Objedion 
 made by Dr Heylin and others , viz. that if v/e are ob- 
 liged to keep the Sabbath by virtue of the fourth 
 Commandment, we are bound to keep it in the 
 /elf fame Manner which the Jews did ; this is a 
 Confequence that will by no Means follow » For 
 
 thofe 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. ^o 
 
 thofe W ords in the fourth Commandment, In it thou 
 /halt do no Manner of Work^ are nothing more than a 
 general ExprefTion, fignifying that Men fhould abflain 
 from their Common and Ordinary Labours, upon a 
 Day which is fet apart for God's Public Worlhip and 
 Service. For as to the Particular /n^ Mannerin which 
 the Jews were to keep their Sabbath^ and the^Penalties 
 which were annexed to the Tranfgreffion thereof -, that 
 could not be determined from the fourth Command- 
 ment, but was declared in feveral expreis Precepts and 
 Threatnings delivered to that purpofe •, as in Exod, xvi. 
 29. chap.xxKy. 2, 3. and other Places. And yet if 
 we put together all that the Scripture hath laid down 
 upon this Head, of Refling from Labour on the Sab- 
 hath Bay^ it is very plain, that all Works of Neceflity 
 and Charity were excepted •, as our BlelTed Saviour, the 
 beft Interpreter of the Law hath clearly fhewn in 
 feveral Places of the Gofpel. And that the fame Al- 
 lowance was made by the beft Jewijh Writers and In- 
 terpreters themfelves \ Dr Heylin hath particularly ob- 
 ferved (r). Since then the Claufe in the fourth Com- 
 mandment, confidered by itfelf, can amount to no m^ore 
 than a general Prohibition of common and ordinary 
 Works, upon the Sabbath Day (which is what the 
 Natural Reafon of Mankind would of kfdf require 
 upon fuch a Solemn Day dedicated to the Service of 
 God and Religion^ our Church might very well lay 
 this Injundion upon her People in the Words of the 
 fourth Commandment, without obliging them to any 
 of thofe Peculiarities, which God required of the Jews ; 
 and which were not contained in the fourth Command- 
 ment, but as I juft now obferved, in other Laws 
 delivered to them, with which we are in no wife con- 
 cerned : and much lefs without confining us to thoie 
 Rigours and Auflerities^ which the Scribes and Pharifes 
 D 4 had 
 
 (r) Hii1(^ry of the Sabbath, Part I, chap. v. 
 
40 A Difcoivrfe concerning the 
 
 had grafted upon the Lav/s of God by their Traditions. 
 And yet it hath always been the Artifice of thofe, who 
 have oppofed the Religious Obfervation of the Sabr 
 hath Day \ to confound thofe Pharifaical Inventions with 
 what the Law of God hath plainly commanded in 
 Holy Scripture. Tho' I fliould have thought that of 
 a)] Men in the World, Dr Heylin would not have raifed 
 ai Obje6lion againit the Sahhaih^ on account of that Reft 
 which is enjoined in the fourth Commandment -, fir:ce 
 he hath brought many Paffages out of Learned 
 Writ^^s, as well Jewifh as Chriftian^ to prove, that the 
 Rell rrom Labour which God com.manded the Jezvs to 
 o^'icrve upon the Sabhath Bay^ was not fo ftridt *, but 
 that they were allowed to do feveral kinds of TFork^ 
 and 10 travel on that Day, and alfo at the fame Time to 
 ' have their Feafts and Entertainments^ and to divert 
 tr.t. nifelves all manner of ways, as by runvin^, walkings 
 dancing (jJ, Sec •, which, I think is as much as the 
 moft Licentious Man could v/ell defire. 
 
 Fourthly, The Obligation of obferving one Day in 
 every Week is further evident, from the Example of 
 our Blefled Saviour and His Apoftles -, who kept every 
 Jeventh Day, as a Day appointed for the Worfhip and 
 Service of God. Thus we read in John xx, that on 
 the firft Day of the Week Chrifi; appeared to His Dif- 
 ciples, who were affembled together (as He had often 
 done (t) before at the fame Seafon) and fliev/ed tkem 
 the Marks and Signs in his Body, by which they might 
 know that He was rifen from the Dead, ver. 19, 20. 
 And that the Occafion of the Difciples aflemibling to- 
 gether at Z/:?^/ Time, was for the Worfhip and Service of 
 <}od, is evident, not only from thofe PaiTages of Scrip- 
 ture where fuch Affembling is mentioned, (fome of which 
 will be taken notice of prefently) and from the Account 
 which the Antient Writers of the Church conftantly 
 o;ive of their Meeting •, but alfo from the Teftimony 
 
 of 
 
 s) Heylin itid. §. 5 &c. 
 
 t) See Matt, xxviii, 9, Mark f<vi, 9, Luke xxiv. $( 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 4 1 
 
 of Pliny himfelf ; who tells us that upon a certain ap- 
 fointed Day, the Chriftians ufed very early to meet 
 together, and fing an Hymn to Chrijl, as being God, 
 and oblige themfelves by a Sacra?nent not to com.mit 
 any Wickednefs (u)^ &c. But Thomas not being with 
 the reft of the Difciples at the Time, when our BlelTed 
 Saviour firft came to them •, declared he would not 
 believe the Relurredion of Chrifl^ iinlefs heJJjouldfee the 
 Print of the Nails in His Hands^ and put his Hands 
 into His Side ^ ver. 25. But tho' our Lord waspleafed 
 to gratify this Curiofity, (which at the fame Time He 
 juftly reproved, ver. 2g.) that thereby He might give 
 the clearer and more convinci?2g Proof of His Refur- 
 redlion ; yet there is no Account of His appearing to 
 him for that purpofe, 'till that Day fevennigbt, and then 
 we read that our Saviour came and fitisfied him. Thus 
 ver. 26. it isfaid, that after eight Days ^ or as the Words 
 may more properly be rendered, in, or within eight Days, 
 again His Difciples were within and Thomas was with 
 them i then came Jefus the Doors being fhiit, and ftocd 
 in the Midft of thetn. Sec. I know that fome Men have 
 obje(5led to this Interpretation, as thinking it abfurd, 
 that the Diftance of a Week's Time, fhould be figni- 
 jfied by this Expreffion, after or in eight Days ; for, 
 fay they, it might as wellfignify any Time whatfoever, 
 as that of a Week (x). But this Objedion v/ill appear 
 to be of no Force, if we confider that the Style of the 
 New Tefament is for the moft Part accommodated to the 
 Manner of Expreffion among the Jews -, with whom 
 it was very ufual to fignify 3, Week's Time by //ij Saying, 
 //s5' Yiui^cf.i oKJso, after, or in eight Days. An Emi- 
 nent Initance of which we have in Jofephus, much like 
 the Expreffion in the Text we are now upon \ who 
 fpeaking of the Jewifh Priefts in their Courfes ("v/ho 
 were bound to minifter for one Week according to their 
 
 Families 
 
 («) Pliny lib. x. Epift. 97. 
 
 (x) Heylin'i Hiftory of the Sabbath, Part II. chap. i. $. 4= 
 
42 A Difcourje concerning the 
 
 Families (y) ) having faid that King D^'z;/ J appointed ^ 
 that every Family fhould minifter unto God h/^ 
 tifxi^f ok\s^ for eight Bays •, he immediately explains 
 the Phrafe by this Expreflion, luni (ruCCdT^ ^ (rdCCa.Tcv 
 i. e. from one Sabbath Day to another (z). And Glaf- 
 Jjus, an excellent Hebrew Grammarian of the lafl Age, 
 upon an exadl and accurate Comparifon of the feveral 
 Hebrew PaflTages in the Old 'Teftament^ with the Septua- 
 gint Verfion of them writes thus, that the "Pr^pofition 
 '' /y.sjst, after, when uriderflood of Time, is fome- 
 '' times to be underllood for the Word intra^ zvithin, 
 *' and does not always fignify the Iqft Part of that Time 
 *' which itexprefles to htperfe5fly expired. The Word 
 " /usi* does not always declare the Time th2Lt follows, 
 *' but that v/hich is intermediate and as ytt fubffting (a)^ 
 This I own, would feem flrange to us in Modern 
 Language, but for all that, it is very certain, that it 
 is the Jewifo Manner of ExprefTion in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. This will be evident to any one, who will 
 compare together the feveral PaiTages in the Evange- 
 lifts^ which relate to the Relurre6lion of Chrift from 
 the Dead j in which he will foon perceive that the Ex- 
 prefTion, after three Days, is equivalent to that within 
 three Days, and that both of them fignify the fame as 
 en the third Day {b) , and were fo underftood by the 
 Jews themfelves, as a Learned Bifhop of our Church 
 obferves {c). And if we look into the Old Tefia^nent, 
 
 we 
 
 fy) See 2 Kings ;r/. 6, 7, 9. 2 Chron, xxiii. 8. 
 (z) Jofepbus Antig. lib. vii. chdp. xi . 
 
 (a) iAild, pojf, de Tempore ft accipiaturquandoque pro intra ac- 
 cipitur ; feu ultimam temporis partem (quam notat) mn femper plane 
 
 exaaam & prateritam ejfe fignificat y.(\a. non femper ^^^'^^^^ 
 
 conjequens tempus fed quandoque interje^um & I'igens. Glaiiu 
 Philolog. Sacr. lib. iii. Traft. VI. p. 770, 77 »• 
 
 (b) Compare together Matt. xxvH. 63, 64. chap.xvi. 21. Mark 
 viii 31. chap. x. 34. Luke ix. 22. chap. xxiv. 7. John //. 19. 
 
 (c) Bmalbroke\ Vindication of our BlefTed Saviour s Miracles, 
 Vol. II. p. 438. »S^^ /?//^tf Miracles of yfus Vindicated Partly 
 p. 21, 13, 14. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 43 
 
 we fliall find many PaiTages, in which the fame Man-, 
 ner of ExprefTion is made ufe of. That I may not 
 tire the Reader's Patience, 1 will mention only two or 
 three which are inconteftable. Thus Deut. xiv, 28. it 
 is faid, at the End of three Tears thou /halt bring forth 
 all the 1'ythe of thine Increafe, But the Septuagint renders 
 it, after three Tears : and both of them fignify the 
 fame as in the third Tear^ as is evident from Dent, xxvi, 
 12. Thus again, vjhen Shalmanafer btiitgtd the City 
 of Samaria^ the Scripture tells us that at the End of 
 three Tears they took it., even in thefixt'j Tear of Hezekiah 
 (that is the ninth Tear of Hofhea King of IfraelJ Samaria 
 -ze^^i taken, 2 Kings xviii. 10. But that this ExprefTion 
 can fignify no more in Modern Language, than after 
 two full Tears y or in the third Tear., is clear from 
 ver. 9 where it is faid that the City was befieged in the 
 feventh Tear of Hofhea King of Ifrael. So likewife in 
 Jer. xxxiv, 14. the Prophet requires thai they foouldlet 
 go every Man his Brother that had been fold to them at the 
 End of feven Tears : but how this ExprefTion is to be 
 underflood, we find in the fame Verfe, and in Exod, 
 xxi, 2. where the Law of Releafmg Servants is laid 
 down ; and in both thefe Places, it is faid, that he 
 Ihould be releafcd, when he had ferved fix Tears. And 
 to fay no more, in Luke ix. 28. where the Evangelift 
 is fpeaking of the Transfiguration of Chrifty he ex- 
 prefTes himfelf thus, eo^jei r^uk^; okJ^o^ i. e, it was about 
 eight Days, viz. after the Sayings of Chrifi in the fore- 
 going Verfes. But that this could not fignify any 
 greater fpace of Time, than that of a Week, is mani- 
 feft from that Account which St Matthew and St Mark 
 gives us thereof, who both fay it was after fix Days \ 
 Matt. xvii. i. Mark ix. 2. it being ufual with them to 
 fignify the Space of a Week, by both thefe kinds of 
 ExprefTions ♦, fometimes calling it eight Days, as ac- 
 counting the two Days that were extreme., and at other 
 Times fix Days, as excluding the two extreme Days. 
 And the fame Liberty and Manner of ExprefTion is 
 
 authorifde 
 
44 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 authorifed by the Teftimony of the Antient Jezvs, as 
 it is preferved in both their 'Tahnuds, and is allcwed of 
 by the beft Claffic Writers both Greek 2ind. Rofnan, as a 
 Learned Writer hath lately {d) lliewn. And we may 
 further obferve, that the fame Manner of Style is taken 
 up by the Phyficians, who in their Accounts of Fevers, 
 call that by the Name of the I'ertian or S^uartan Fever, 
 which hath but one or two Days IntermifTion between 
 the Fits (e). From all which it is very evident, that 
 the Objedion made by Heylin and others againft our 
 BlefTed Saviour's appearing to Flis Difciples, upon 
 the firft Day of the Week (as He had certainly done 
 the Time before) drawn from the Exprellion, «2-5-' w/ze^^^j 
 0^7^, after or in eight Bays^ is entirely of no Force : 
 and confequendy, His appearing again to His Dif- 
 ciples, at that Time, was for xht fecond ERabliffirrent 
 o^ that Day for the Chriftian Sahhath ; as a very emJnent 
 Author hath well remarked (f). And further, we may 
 clearly perceive, that after our Lord's Afcenfion, this 
 Day was duly and conitantly obferved by the Holy 
 Apoftles. Thus St Luke tells us, that on the Day of 
 Pentecoft (which then happened to fill on the Lord's 
 I^^'y) (g) ^^1^^" t^e Holy Ghofl came down upon the 
 Apoftles, they were all with one accord in one Place. 
 ABs a, I . And what that Place was, and what their 
 Employment was therein; the fame Evangelift tells us 
 in chap, i. 13, 14 (h). And again in Arts xx. 7. we 
 
 read 
 
 (d) See Bifhop <S;;;/2/^rtf/fe''s Vindication, Vol. II. p. 447, 459. 
 fe) See Smallroke ibid. p. 448. where there are fevetal Inftances 
 given of this Matter, 
 
 (f) Echard's Ecclefiaftical HiRory 8vo. Vol. I. p. 213. 
 
 (g) Hie porro dies PeKtecoJies erat Dies DominicuSy ut facile 
 conjiat ex computatione Disrum, Sic. Jic covfultmn voluit Chrijlus 
 honori Diet Dominic a^ ut frius Rcfurre^iione JuA* it a jam effiljione 
 Spiritus San^i in itlo die. Lightfoot in loc. 
 
 [h) The Refurreftion of Chriji upon this (the firft Day of the 
 Week) and His diverfe Apparitions to His Apoftles upon this Day, 
 and His fending to them the Holy Ghoil upon this Day ; and all 
 this at fuch a Time as they were alTcmbled in their ufual Place of 
 
 Prayer, 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 45 
 
 read that upon the frfl Day of the Week ('the ufual Name 
 of the Chrijlian Sahhath after our Saviour's Refurre6liony 
 the Difcipks ca??ie together to break Breads and Paul 
 preached unto them until Midnight, And in i Cor. xvi, 
 2 . diere is mention made again of the firft Day of the 
 Week, in which the Chriflians were to meet together, 
 and lay by their Colledions for the Poor, by the Com- 
 mand of St Paul. And this Day, we find is called by 
 St John by the peculiar Name of the Lord's Day. Rev. i. 
 10. And that as fome Interpreters think, becaufe Chrift 
 did on that Day, rife from the Dead ; or as others, be- 
 k caufe He Himfeif did appoint that Day ; or becaufe 
 ^ He was the Obj'^dl of that Worfliip, which the Chrif- 
 tians offered up Weekly upon that Day. And thus 
 this Text hath always been interpreted by the Catholic 
 Church. Now what a very judicious Divine obferves 
 upon another Occafion, may very properly be applied 
 to the prefent Argument, mx. that '' The Pofitive 
 " La'ws and Inilitutions of our Saviour Jefus Chrifl are 
 " always to be interpreted according to the Univerfal 
 *^' and received Practice of the Apoilles fij." Arid 
 the Reafon which he gives for It is very flrong and 
 unanfwerable, viz, " That the Apoftlcs v/ere not only, 
 '' as Judges and Magiftrates in a Civil State, entruiled 
 " with the Execution of the Laws and Infcitutions of 
 " our BlefTed Saviour ; but had alfo hereby fiich con- 
 " ftant, certain, and even infallible Ailifiance from t\\t 
 ' ' Holy Ghofl {who guided them into all T^ruth,, John xvL 
 ' ^ 13. taught tbe?n all Things^ and brought all 'Things to their 
 " Remembrance whatfoever Chrifl had faid unto them chap. 
 '' 14 , 26 J as put them beyond all poiTibility of Errour, 
 '^ to which, even the bell Magiftrates and mioit learn- 
 
 " ed 
 
 Prayer, and in all probability whild they were performing the Duty 
 of the Day, did at leaft evidently point out to them this Day 
 for His Public V/orfhip, and ratify their affembling upon this Day 
 to do him Seivice. Archbijhop BramhallV ^tfr/^'i, p. <^i6. See alfo, 
 Hammond on Ads i. 13. 
 
 ii) Archbifhop Syngeh Divine Authority of Church Government 
 p. 26, 27. See the Place, 
 
46 A Difcourfe concerning ih 
 
 *' ed Judges, in Worldly Communities are often fub- 
 " je6l." And therefore, fuppofmg it could not be prov- 
 ed, that our BlefTed Lord had Himfelf appointed the 
 Lord^s Day, (which from what hath been faid before, 
 it is I think very clear and plain that He hath) yet the 
 Univerfal Judgment and Pradice of the Holy Apoftles 
 in this Particular, is of itfelf fafficient to determine the 
 Matter, and to render the Law concerning it perpetual, 
 and for ever binding upon all Chriftians. And what 
 Mr Calvin hath obferved of Impofition of Hands in 
 Ordination, will hold equally in the prefent Cafe *, viz, 
 that tho' there were no exprefs Precept about it, yet 
 fince it hath been perpetually obferved by the Holy 
 Apoftles ; this accurate Ohfervance of theirs ought to 
 have with us, the Force of Command and haw (k): 
 And the fame Acknowledgment is made by many 
 Learned Writers ; who were very far from being too 
 ftricft and rigid in this Matter, or attributing too much 
 to the Obfervation of the Lord's Day, It may not be 
 amifs to recite two or three Paifages to this Furpofe, in 
 order to fhev;^ the great Weaknefs of thofe Men's Rea- 
 foning, v/ho argue againft the Divine Authority and Obli- 
 gation of the LWjD^j, becaufe there is no exprefs Pre- 
 cept of Chrijl: or His Apoftles for the Obfervation of it. 
 Thus fays Archbifhop Bramball, '' Tho' the Original 
 " Inftitution of the Lord's Day, be not recorded in 
 " Holy Scripture exprefsly \ yet fo much is recorded as 
 " is fufficient to fatisfy all Confcientious Chriftians, that 
 " there was fuch an Inftitution of Chrift or His A- 
 " poftles, or of Chrift by His Apoftles •, and with the 
 '' Help of the perpetual Pradiceand Tradition of the 
 ' ' Catholic Church ever fince the Refurreftion of Chrift^ 
 " is fufEcient to convince all Gainfayers. And he 
 
 '' that 
 
 (k) Licet autem nullum extet certum Prseceptum de manuum 
 impofitione, quia tamen fuifle in perpetuo ufu Apoftolis videmus, 
 ilia tarn accurata Eorum Obfervatio Prggcepti vice nobis efle debef 
 Cah, Infiitut, Uhs iv, cap. iii^ §. f6, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 47 
 
 " that profefifeth Chrijimnty\ and will not be fatisfied 
 '* y/ith the perpetual and undoubted Tradition of the 
 " Univerfal Church of Chnji^ i. e. of the whole 
 " World of Believers, including the Apoftles them- 
 ^^ felves •, is utterly incapable of any real Satisfa6tIon, 
 " and buildeth his Religion more upon his own wil- 
 " ful Humour and piivate Phantafy, than upon true 
 '' Judgment f/J." 
 
 And the judicious Biihop White fpeaking of this 
 Matter, fiith, '' It is not neceflary to demonflrate 
 " out of Scripture that the Apoftles ordained the Sun- 
 " day as a Weekly Holiday; ^r. for it could not 
 " pofTibly have come to pafs, that all and every A^ 
 " poftolical Church throughout the Univerfal World, 
 " Ihould lb early and in the Beginning of their Plan- 
 " tation, have confented together to make the Sunday 
 " a Weekly Feftivai ; unlefs they had been diredied 
 " thus by their Founders the Holy Apoftles themfelves. 
 " And fo he concludeth out of St Juftin, that it is 
 " moft rightly believed to have been delivered by 
 *' Apoftolical Authority (m).** And for this Reafon 
 the Learned Biihop Baylor, who refolves the Authori- 
 ty of the Lord*s Day into mere Ecclefiaftical Inftitution 
 (n) ', affirms " that the keeping of this Day, befides 
 " all the other Reafons derived from the Nature of the 
 *' Thing, yet even for this alone ^ becaufe it derived 
 *' from the Apoftles, is to remain fo for ever: be- 
 " caufe the Reafon being at firft competent for which 
 " they kept their AfTemblies, and gave that Day to 
 " Religion, and the fame Reafon rem.aining for ever^ 
 ' ' ('and another cannot come in place of it, and a greater 
 '^ there cannot be ;) although the Churches are not in 
 " Confcience dire^Iy bound, yet collaterally and indi- 
 " really they are (o)J' And that the Apoftles were 
 
 not 
 
 U) BramhaH's Works p. 916. 
 
 M Bijhop White on the Sabbath p. 192. 
 
 {n) DuSlor Dubitantiuniy Book ii. chap. ii. Rule 6 , §, 51. 
 
 [ojDua, Dubit. Bookiii, chap. iv. Rule 13. §. i. 
 
48 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 not only direded by the Holy Spirit, in Matters ref- 
 lating to Divine Worfhip and Religion, but alio had 
 His immediate Authority in their Determinations upon 
 fuch Points ; is very evident ^romA^sxv. 28. where 
 the Apoftles fpeaking of their Decifion in the Affair of 
 the Circumcifion, exprefs themfelves thus, It feemed good 
 to the Holy Ghofl arid to us (p). And if we may rely 
 upon St Clems77t (a Companion and Fellow Labourer 
 of St Patd^ Phil. iv. 3.) we may be affured that 
 the ApOilies \Y^Vft perfonally dire6led by our Lord to do 
 what they did in this Matter of the Lord's Day : for he 
 tells us that they had Chrifis Authority and Dire(5]:ion 
 concerning the appointed Seafons and Places of Public 
 "Worfliip (q). And " if Chrift did prefcribe Rules 
 " for the Times and Places of His Worfhip ; there is 
 " little doubt to be made, but that the Lord's Dayv/^s 
 '^ His own Ordination, as a Learned Prelate hath v/ell 
 " obfervcd frj." And therefore the Apoftles fitting 
 apart the Lord's Day from the Beginning, v/as a clear 
 Pi-oof of it's Divine Authority -, and there was no 
 Occafion for an exprefs Precept of Chriji or His A- 
 poftles for the Abrogation of the Sahhath^ and the Infti- 
 tut'ion of the ^Lord's Day^ as fome have imagined. 
 For this v/ould for feveral Reafons have been very im- 
 proper •, and particularly, as it would have given the 
 greateft Offence and Difpleafare to the Jews.^ in regard 
 of the extreme Veneration which they had for their 
 Sahhath ; and thereby have mightily hindered and re- 
 tarded their Converfion to the Faith of the Gofpel. 
 And upon this Account, it was an Adl of great Pru- 
 dence as well as Piety in the Apoftles and their Succef- 
 fors, to obferve the Sahhath for fome Time, as well as 
 
 the 
 
 {p) Dicunt, vifum eji Spiritui Sa?i^o, ne humanum illud negotium 
 efTe videretur ; addunt, ^ nobis^ ut Minifterii & operse fidelitas d<;- 
 monftretur, & ut conftaret ipfos non fuilTe authorfes illius lententise^ 
 Ca?nerarius ^ Ca?nero. in loc. 
 
 iq) Clem, i Ep. to Corinth. §, 40, Edii^ fFakeo 
 
 (r) Bramh^JTs Works p, 920. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 49 
 
 ^he Lord's Bay ; and afterwards to let it drop and fall 
 gradually^ as will hereafter be obferved. 
 
 Fifthly and laftly^ The Obfervation of the Lord*s 
 Day is very clear and evident from the Example and 
 Pradice of the Primitive Chrijiiam, who a] ways kept 
 it in a molt Devout and Religious Manner •, and 
 that fo iiniverfally^ that in ail Parts of the World, 
 wherefoever the Chrijlian Faith was propagated, the 
 Obfervation of the Lord's Day was eftablifhed with 
 it. This is not only attefted by all the ancient Wri- 
 ters of the Church, but acknowledged alfo by the Hea- 
 thens themfelves ; who frequently accufe them of ador- 
 ing the Sun ("*), becaufe they prayed towards the Eaft, 
 and kept the Sunday for their Feflival. Which 
 hath made many Learned Men who deny that our 
 BlefTed Saviour Himfelf hath inflituted this Day, con- 
 clude that it was a Matter fettled by all the Apoftles, 
 and handed down to the Church by Apoflolical Tradi- 
 tion. Nay fo notorious was their Practice in this Parti- 
 cular, that in m.any Churches, the ancient Chriftians 
 obferved both the Saturday^ which was the Jewi/h Sab- 
 bath, and the Sunday, which was the Lord's Day {s) ; 
 tho' the Preference was given to the latter in many 
 Relpecls (t) : Whether they v/ere uncertain which was 
 the Right Day as fome have imagined ; or as others 
 judge better, becaufe they would give no Offence to 
 the Jews, and were willing to embrace any Oppor- 
 tunity of converting them to Chriftianity by the 
 Preaching of the Gofpel ("/O • (Which was the True 
 Reafon why the Sabbath was much more obferved in 
 the Eafiern Church than in the JVcftern ; there being a 
 much greater Number of Jews in that Part of the 
 World^. But be that as it will ! it plainly fhews 
 
 E thu s 
 
 (*) Alii folem Chriftianum Deum efTe aeftimant, quod inrotueric 
 ad Orientis partem facere nos precationem, <^c. TertulL ad Nat. lib, 
 !• cap. xiii. 
 
 (s) Vid. Grot, in Ad:, xv, 21. 
 
 (t) Vid. Bingham Vol. IX. lib. xx. cap. iii. §. 3. 
 
 {u) Vid, CaveV Primitive ChriJIianitji Part J. (tap, vil p, ij^^ 
 
50 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 thus much, that they thought themfelves obhged to 
 obferve every Seventh Day, as a Day of the Worfhip 
 and Service of God. 
 
 And thus having confidered the Neceflity and Ob- 
 ligation of Obferving every Seventh Day, I proceed 
 now to the other Particular, viz, to fhew that we muft 
 keep it holy. And one would think there Ihould be 
 no Neceflity of infilling upon this ; it being a Thing 
 fo plain and evident in itfelf. But yet there have not 
 been wanting fome Men who have oppofed it, and 
 declared againil the Neceflity of Divine Worfliip and 
 Service on this Day •, and who affirm that the Peculiar 
 Sandlification of the Sahhath did confifl: in refl:ing 
 upon that Day, and in the Separation of it from all 
 Bodily Work and (x) Labour. And it is to be feared 
 that too many Chrifiians have entertaind the fame No- 
 tion concerning the Lord's Bay •, as may appear from 
 their grofs Negle6t of the Religious Duties of the 
 Day both public and private, and their dedicating it 
 entirely to Company and Drinking and Worldly 
 Pleafure. But now, if this were all •, it would have 
 been fufficient to have required the Obfervation of the 
 Sahhath Day without the Injundion of keeping it holy ; 
 for that does of itfelf fignify that it is a Day of Reft 
 iy) : Whereas the Additional Command to keep it 
 holy does plainly require fomething more, And I 
 
 believe 
 
 [x) Vid. Bonfrerium ap. Poli Synopf. Critic, in Exod. xx. 8. 
 Heylin'i liiftor-^ of the Sabbath Part I. chap. vi. $. 3. 
 
 (y) And yet perhaps not barely a Day of Reft j for the Word 
 Shahath from which the Word Sabbath is derived, doth not, as a 
 Learned Writer obfcrves, fignify fuch a Reft, wherein one iltteth ftill 
 and doth nothing (as the Word l^oach doth) but only a reftingand 
 ceafing from that which he did before. Vid. Leigh'j Crit. Sacr. in 
 voce nnii'- And the Learned Dr Heflin^ tho* in the Place above 
 cited, he affirms, that in reference to the People, God commanded 
 only Reft from Labour on the Sabbath Day* and the Priefts to per- 
 form the Sacrifice J, &c : yet in another Place, (I think inconfiftcntly 
 with himfclf,) when enquiring into the Meaning of the Word Sab- 
 
 batb. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. r i 
 
 believe it will be difficult to fhew any Place of Scrip- 
 ture, where any Bay^ or Time is faid to be holy m fuch 
 a Senfe. The keeping of a Day holy^ does not only 
 imply the Separation of it from all bodily Work and 
 Labour, but alfo tlie Dedication of it to the Worfhip 
 and Service of God ; as is very evident from the 
 conftant Senfe of that Word both in the Old and 
 NewJeftmnent {z). But however it will not be amifs 
 to confider what is alledged in Defence of their Argu- 
 ment, by thofe that are of the contrary Opinion. Now 
 thefe Men alledge that before the Captivity of Babylon, 
 we have no Account that the Jezvs kept the Sabbath 
 in a Religious Manner by dedicating it to the Pub- 
 lic Worfhip of God, the hearing of the Law, Di- 
 vine Meditation, and (a) the like -, tho' they grant 
 that the Jews after the Captivity did obferve the 
 Sabbath very ftridlly in the Performance of fuch Re- 
 ligious Duties ; and likewife that in all Ages of the 
 Chriftian Church the Lord's Day hath by all pious 
 and good Men been celebrated in the fame Man- 
 ner. And this one would think Ihould be fxiffi- 
 cient to determine the Matter : And that fuppofing 
 it could not be proved, that the. Jcivs before the 
 
 E 2 Captivity 
 
 kath^ he fays it is ufed in Scripture to fignify fome felefted Time 
 which God hath deputed unto Holinefs as well as Refi. Part L 
 chap. V. §. I. 
 
 (z) Ut fandlifices, /. e. divino cu'tui totaliter applices. Lyra in 
 Exod. XX. 8. Ut celebres habens pro fan(5lo & confecrato cultui 
 Dei. Mahend. ibid. Ut fepares ilium ab aliis diebus profanis, ab- 
 llinendo ab operibus & cultui Divino applices. Haec enim duo im- 
 portat Chadas. Oleafter ibid. Ut fande colas, id fit laeta grataque 
 Recordatione Mundi a Deo conditi. Grot. ibid. Sanftis operibus 
 vult tranfigi ; & cum dicit. Memento ut Sanaifices, infinuat veram 
 Sabbati cclcbrationem non confiftere praecipue in externa quiete, 
 &c. fed in Meditatione Sandificationis, drr. Ut Sanflifices, vacando 
 ab opere-Servili, ut otium tibi fit Divinis rebus operam dandi. Ge- 
 Tundfnfts ^ Menochius ap. Poli Swopf. Critic, ibid. 
 
 (a) Vid, Heylin^s Hipry of the Sabbath Part L chap. f/. $. 3 
 
52 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Captivity did the li'ke, yet this ought not to be ad- 
 mitted as an Argument againft the Religious Obferva- 
 tion of the Sahhath Bay : becaufe if there be no clear 
 Account in Scripture and Antiquity on either Side ; 
 it is from the Nature of the Thing more probable, 
 that the Ancient Jeivs did keep their Sabbath like 
 the Moderns, than that they did not. But however, 
 I will not leave the Matter fo. For if the Jewijh 
 Rabbins knew any Thing of the Practice of their 
 own Church in this Particular ; it is plain that the 
 Ancient Jews underftood the Obfervation of the Sab- 
 hath to confift, not only in the Reft from Bodily La- 
 bour but alfo in the Confecrating of it to the Ser- 
 vice and Worfliip of Q?) God, For this is exprefsly 
 affirmed by feveral of the beft and moft Learned of 
 them. Thus fays Abefi Ezra " The Sabbath was ap- 
 " pointed that we might contemplate on the Works 
 ** of God, and meditate on the Law (^)." And R, 
 D. Kiinhi in Pfalm xcii fiys that ••' the Sabbath 
 " is more grateful to God than the other Days 
 " of the Week •, becaufe in that a Man is treed from 
 ^' the BufinefTes of the World, and his Mind from* 
 " all Bodily Occupations, and he exercifes himfelf 
 " in Wifdom and the Service ot God." And the 
 Words of Rabbi Manajfes are very remarkable to this 
 purpofe. '" It is, fays he, a very great Errour, to 
 " affirm that the Sabbath was inftituted merely for the 
 " Sake of Bodily Reft ; for that being of itfelf the Pa- 
 " rent of all Vices, there would thence accrue more 
 " Harm than Good, from the Obfervation of the Sab- 
 " bath. But we muft necefiarily declare, that the Sabbath 
 " v/as appointed, that Men being in a greater Readi- 
 
 nefs, 
 
 (&) Diebus Sabbatorum omnes Judgei quiefcebant, non inerti 
 ctio ; fed ftudio Legis, & orationi vacabant in Synagogis. Lamy 
 Jpparatus ChrQ7iologkui in Harmomam quartuor Evangeliji. Vol. /. 
 /.1 17. 
 (c) Ab- Ejir, ^i<i ud Riveti Expofu, Decalog^ inExod, xx. 8. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord^s Day. 53 
 
 '' nefs, by reafon of their Freedom from the Cares 
 " of the World, might apply themfelves to the 
 *' Study of the Law, might go to the Synagogues 
 " and Schools of the Prophets, and there enquire 
 '' into the Senfe of difficult Paflages of Holy Scrip- 
 *' ture •, wherefore it is exprefsly faid in the Jernfa- 
 " km Talmud, that the Sabbaths and other Feftivals 
 " were not appointed to the Ifraelites but for the 
 *' Meditation of the Law {d)." A very wife and rea- 
 fonable Determination -, and which ought to be well 
 confidered by all thofe who oppofe the Neceffity ot 
 a Religious Obfervation of the Sahhath Day. And 
 long before him Philo acquaints us, "That am.ong 
 '' the Ancient Jews the Cuftom always was, as Op- 
 " portunity ferved, but efpecially on the Sahhath Day, 
 " to exercife themfelvq in Knowledge ; the Chief 
 " Perfon going before and teaching •, the reft increaf- 
 '' ing in Goodnefs, and growing better in their Lives 
 " and Manners ('^)." And Jofephus tells us more ex- 
 prefsly that " iVfc/^5 commanded the People to meet 
 " together for the hearing of the Law ; and that not 
 '' on'ce or twice, or feveral Times, but on every 
 «' feventh Day -, and that laying afide their Works, 
 " they fhould learn it exadly (/}." To which I 
 fhall only add, that the Title of the xcnPfalm, which 
 is by fome afcribed to DaM, by others x.o Mofes\ 
 (and which is a joyful Meditation of the gracious 
 Works of God towards His People, whether by way 
 of commemorating the Creation and the Sahhath fol- 
 lowing that ', or foretelling their Peace and Profperity 
 in this World, and that Reft which God had pro- 
 mifed to give His Church under the MeJJiah) I fiy that 
 the Title of this Pfahn is J Pfalm or Song for the Sahhath 
 Day, And this "Title was given to it, becaufe 
 E 3 Dr Haimnond 
 
 {d) R. Manaflesap. Rivet, ibid. 
 \e) Philo de Vit. MofisJih^i. 
 (/) Joseph, adv. Apion. lib. ii. 
 
54 -^ Difconrfe concerning the 
 
 Dr Hammond obferves in hisParaphrafe thereupon, it was 
 appointed to be iifed in the Jewijh Church upon the 
 Sabbath Day. And as one Eminently llcill'd in He- 
 brew Learning takes notice, " the KndtntJ^'ujs had 
 *' proper P Calms appointed for the Particular Days of 
 *' the Week ; and in the 'Talmud there is an exprefs 
 " Account of thofe Pfahns^ which the Levltes were 
 *' to fi-g upon certain Days, and that which was 
 " appointed for the Sabbath^ was the xcii Pfahn (g)"^ 
 Nay the Chaldee Paraphrafr carries this Matter a great 
 deal farther, by affirming that this Pfahn was fung by 
 Adam himfelf upon the Sabbath Day. And for this 
 reafon it is called the Pfahn or Song of Adam., by fe- 
 veral of the Jewifh Writers {h). But I ov/n it is more 
 probable, (as the Generality of Learned Men think) 
 that it was made by David., for the ufe I have now 
 rrientioned. And Mr Calvin is of opinion, that he 
 compofed many others for that purpofe (i). And 
 Jofephus tells us, that he compofed feveral Hymns 
 to the Honour of God, and taught the Levites to 
 praife God's Name upon the Sabbath Days (k). From 
 all which it very clearly appears, that the Ancient 
 Jews did not place the Sanultfication of the Sabbath 
 in a bare Reft from Bodily Labour *, but they thought 
 alfo that it required their Attendance upon the Wor- 
 fhip and Service of God. Nay even Eonfrerius him- 
 felf, who, as was lately remarked, places the Sancli- 
 fication of the Sabbath., entirely in fuch Reft : does 
 yet (I think very inconfiftently with himfelf ) in the 
 fame Place allow, that the End of the Precept of 
 refting from their Works, was the Worftiip of God, 
 and that the Jews were wont to apply their whole 
 
 Sabbath 
 
 {g) Lud. de Dieu, in loc. 
 
 {h) Canticum Adami dicitur ab Hebraeis, quod talia dicere potuit 
 Adamus cum primum Res a Deo conditas afpexit. Grct. in loc, 
 
 (i) Calvin in loc. 
 
 \k) Jofeph. Antiq. lib vii. cap. Xo See alfo fbe fame Author above 
 cited p, 41, 42* 
 
Religious Ob/ervatlo7i of the Lord's Day. 5 f 
 
 Sabbath in a moft Religious Manner to fuch Wor- 
 fhip. I know indeed that the chief Thing which 
 confirms fomeMen in this Opinion concerning the 
 Ancient J^wj, is, that they had no Synagogues for 
 Divine Worfhip and Reading of the Law, 'till after 
 the Babylonian Captivity (/) ; and therefore fay thefe 
 Men, they could not have any fuch Thing, as public 
 Worfhip. But this is a very weak Inference. For fup- 
 pofing it were certain that the Jews had no Synagogues 
 before the Captivity •, yet this will not in the leaft 
 prove that they had no other Places to meet in for 
 the Worfhip of God, and the Reading of their Law : 
 Since it is well known that the Primitive Chrijlians 
 met together for the like Purpofes a good while be- 
 fore they had any public Churches, properly fo called. 
 And the fame may be affirmed of the Jews^ with re- 
 gard to their Synagogues, But whether the Jews had 
 any Synagogues before the Captivity, or not, the 
 Learned are not fully (w), agreed •, tho* I grant that it 
 cannot be clearly proved that they had. For where- 
 as it is faid in Pfalm Ixxiv. 8. 'They have burnt up all 
 the Synagogues of God in the Land •, the Learned Dean 
 Prideaux truly obferves, that in the Original, the 
 Words fignify no more than the AfTembliesof God (n), 
 
 E 4 And 
 
 (/) Vid, Heylins Hift. of the Sabbath, Part I. chap. vi. §. 4 
 and 10. 
 
 {m) It is indeed the common Opinion that there were no Synagogues 
 before the Captivity ; but then by Synagogues muft be underftood. 
 Places of Judicature, rather than o^ Divine Worftiip. For the 
 Courts of Judicature were anciently hdd in the Gates of Cities, 
 not in any Places peculiarly defigned for that \Jk. Amos v. 1 2, 
 I 5. But there is no Reafon to queftion, bat the Jews had their 
 Trofeuchas or Places of Prayer from the Beginning. Dr JenkinV 
 Reafonablenefs and Certainty ef the Chrillian "Religion^ Vol. L 
 (hap.v'u p. 173. See a I/O Purchases Pilgrimaget Book II. chap, 
 iii. p. 117. Gejerus on Pfalm Ixxiv. 4. Thorndyke'^s Religious Jf- 
 Jemblies^ chap. ii. Godzvyn's Antiquities* Book if. chap. ii. 
 
 {n) Prideaux's Connexion 8vo. Vol II. p. 556. See alfo, Bi- 
 Jhop Beveridge on the NecefTity and Advantage gf public Prayer 
 p. II, 
 
56 A DifcGnrfe concerning the 
 
 And fuch as thefe that Excellent Writer grants 
 the Jews had before the Captivity, and allows 
 that they were Places of Divine Service, to which 
 they ufed to refort for that purpofe, befides the 
 l^emple. And there are not wanting feme Learned 
 Men who think, that the Jews had Places appointed 
 for public Prayer and Inftrudion in Religion as 
 Early at leaft as the Time of the Judges {p) \ 
 by what Name or Title foever fuch Places might 
 be called. Nay there is good Reafon to think 
 that fuch Places as thefe were in the Days of Abraham^ 
 for we read in Gen, xxi. 33, that Abraham planted a 
 Grove In Beerlheha^ u e. as a very Learned Writer hath 
 well explained it, a Place of Prayer kt round about 
 with Trees {p) •, and called there on the Name of the, 
 Lord. Which makes it highly probable, that this 
 Plantation was for Religious Life {q) •, which before the 
 Law given by Mofes might be lawful, as a Learned 
 Annotator obferves upon the Place (r). However 
 this Matter may be, what tlie Learned Dean Prideau^ 
 lays down is fufficient to my prefent purpofe -, it being 
 of the fame Confequence to my Argument, that the 
 antient Jews had fuch AJfemUies^ as if they had pj'oper 
 Synagogues. Thefe Affemblies were called Profeuch^e^ 
 i e. Oratories or Places of Prayer (j). And they dif- 
 fered 
 
 (0) Rugierunt in medio Conventuum vel Eccle[taru?n, Sec. Pfa/' 
 Ixxiv. 4.) Scholarum & Synagogarum, qux paffim in urbibus erant 
 conftitutje, non modo a Captivitate Babylon, utputat Sigonius ; fed 
 etiam tempore Judicum & Regiim fut ftatuunt Becanus Annal. V. & 
 N. T. p. 241. To]et. in Johan. 16. Torniel. A. M. 2594. «» 
 14) ne populus communibus Orationum atque informationis locis 
 deftitueretur. Gejerus in P/al. Ixxiv 8. 
 
 {p) Shuckford's Sacred and Profane Hiftory conneaed, Vol. I. 
 
 P- 304- ^ n- • ' 
 
 [q) Hie erat Oratorium, ubi egit cum Deo k de Deo. Iirmus in 
 
 {r) Ainfvvorth in loc. 
 
 (s] Vocabantur a Judaeis Grggcae loquentibus mts^s^vyoi "^^^ 
 
 ^ nomen 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord's Day. 57 
 
 fered from the Synagogues in thefe two Refpedls. Firjl^ 
 In that the Synagogues were fuch Houfes as were cove- 
 red at the Top ; but thefe AJjmhlies were open. And 
 fecondly\ That in the Synagogues the Prayers were of- 
 fered up in Public Forms', as they are in our Churches ; 
 whereas in the AiTemblies everyone "^Xd^^t^ particularly 
 for himfelf, . as they did in the Temple (/). And they 
 were generally built upon Mountains and high Places; 
 which makes it reafonable to believe that the high Places 
 mentioned in the 0/i 7'^'f^/?Zd';z/ were oftentimes no other 
 than thefe Aflf^mblies. Which tho' they were frequent- 
 ly condemned by God, by reafon of the Idolatrous 
 Worfhip, that was offered up in them, yet as the 
 Learned Dean truly obferves, they were not always fo ; 
 they being often made Ufe of by Prophets and good 
 Men for Holy Purpofes ; as appears from i Sam. ix. 19. 
 where Samuel hid Saul go before him to the high Place ^ 
 where he Jbould eat with him. And from the fifth Verfe 
 of the following Chapter, where he told him that he 
 fnould meet a Company of Prophets coming down from the 
 high Place. Thefe Projeuchce or AlTemblies were many 
 of them {landing in our Saviour's Time. And our 
 BiefTed Lord is thought by fome good Interpreters to 
 have been in one of them for a whole Night together. 
 For that which is in our Tranflation, Luke vi. 12. 
 He continued all Night in Prayer to God ; is by them 
 rendered thus, He continued all Night in a Profeucha 
 or an AfTembly of God. There is mention likewife 
 made of thefe Ailemblies in other Places of the New 
 ^eftameni^ A5ls xvi. i^, 16. («). And likewife in 
 fome of the Latin Poets (x). And it was to thefe Profeu- 
 
 chcdy 
 
 nomen Latinum Profeucha^ pro Bynagoga ; quafi dicas domos 
 Orationis five Oratoria ; Has frequentabant potilCmum Sabbatis Ju« 
 dsi, caufa difcendi quae Patriam Religionem fpeftarent, (^c. Lamy 
 Apparatus Chronologic us Vol. I. p, 113. 
 
 (t) Fid. Prideaux ibid. 
 
 (u) Vid, Hammond in loc. 
 
 (x) > in qua te quasro Pofeucha, Juu. Sat, IJL I. 296; 
 
58 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 cheBy or Aflemblies, that the antient Jews repaired 
 for the Worfhip and Service of God ; and before the 
 Building of the Temple, offered Sacrifice in them ; as 
 appears from i Kings iii. 2. where it is faid, that the 
 People Sacrificed in thefe high Places^ hecaufe there vjas 
 no Houfe built tmto the Name of the Lord. They reforted 
 alfo to the Cities of the Levites and the Schools of the 
 Prophets, for their Inftrudion and Information (jy) in 
 Religion, and that chiefly upon the Sabbath Days ; as 
 is plain from the Anfwer which the Shunamite's Huf- 
 band gave her, when fhe was preparing to go the Pro- 
 phet Elijha^ after the Death of her Child. IVherefore^ 
 faith he, wilt thou go to Um to Day ? it is neither New 
 Moon nor Sabbath. 2 Kings 4. 2g. (z). And it is the 
 Opinion of fome very Learned Men, that Mofes him- 
 felf appointed, that his Law fhould be publickly read 
 every {a) Sabbath Day. This is exprefsly affirmed by 
 Jofephus as was before obferved {b). And there is a 
 Fragment of Philo the Je^v preferved by Eufebius (c)'m 
 which he afferts the fame. And this will receive great 
 Countenance from Aois xv. 2 1 . v/here it is faid, that 
 Mofes of Old T'ime (in the Original it is hyip^.^v ct^'^^ftim, 
 from the Antient Ages) hath in every City them that 
 preach him, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath 
 Day, And it will be no Objedion at all to this, that 
 it is probable the Jews had no Synagogues properly 
 Ipeaking, 'till after the Captivity. For it is well 
 
 known 
 
 (y) Vid. Cunaeum de Repub. Hebrsorum, lib. ii. cap. xvil 
 ThorndykeV Religious JJfemblies, chap, ii. p. 29. 
 
 (z) His (five feftis) diebus pii homines adibant Synagogas peri- 
 tofque Legis ad audiendum verbum Dei, Legifque Explicationem 
 ut patet ex Aft. xv. 21. Menochius , Fifcaior., & SanBiui in loc. 
 Ad Prophetasibant, quo tempore, quibufque locis alii conventusnon 
 erant. Grot. ibid. 
 
 {a) Credit ur a Mofe fuifTe inftitutum ut Lex in Sabbato legere- 
 tur. Grot, in JSi. xv. 21. 
 
 {b) See above p. 53. 
 
 (r) Eufeb. Prasp. Evang. lib. vili. chap. vii. 
 
Religious Objervafion of the Lord's Day. 59 
 
 known, that the Word Synagogue^ Churchy (Etclefia) 
 JJJemhly and the like, are ufed with great Latitude, 
 both by Sacred and Prophane Writers (d). And par- 
 ticularly the Word Synagogue^ is ufed in Scripture in- 
 differently for any Religious AiTembly {e) ; And is by 
 St James (and others after him) particularly applied to 
 the Chriftian Churches, or to the Confiftories for Judi- 
 cature, as fome Learned Men underftand the Text {f) ; 
 Jam. ii. 2. If there come into your AJfemUy^ &c. in the 
 Original it is, e-'? tIjjj cumyaybj) v/jtSv-t into your Synagogue. 
 But however this be -, it is very clear and evident from 
 what hath been before obferved, that the Sabbath Day 
 among the antient Jews, was not confined to the Reft 
 from Bodily Labour ; but that the Celebration of it 
 did alfo extend to their Inftrudion in Religion, and 
 the performing the Duty of public Prayer and De- 
 votion to God. But in the latter Ages of the Jewijb 
 Church, this Point is indeed more plain and inconteft- 
 able •, the Jews having arrived to an extreme Degree 
 of Superftition in the Obfervation of their Sabbath, 
 And with what exemplary Piety and Devotion the 
 Primitive Chriftians obferved the Lord's Day, is well 
 known to all thofe who are acquainted with their Pra- 
 ftice. They did not only at that T!ime abftain from Bodi- 
 ly Work and Labour, but (as will be fully fhewn 
 hereafter^ made a Confcience of attending regularly 
 and conftantly upon the Church, to join in the Prayers 
 and Praifes of it, to hear God's holy Word, and to 
 receive the Blefled Sacrament of Chrift*^ Body and 
 Blood. All which Duties they performed with fo true 
 and noble a Zeal, and with fuch an elevated Strain of 
 Piety and Devotion, as no Age nor Generadon of the 
 World can parallel. 
 
 And 
 
 (d) Vid. Phileleuth. Lipfienf. Part II. p. 3. 
 ' {e) Vid. Grot, in Jac. ii. 2. Leigb's Critic. Sacr. in voce ffuva- 
 
 If) Vid» Hammond inloc. 
 
6o A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 And thus I have finilhed the firft Particular, which 
 I propofed to treat of; and fhewn the Perpetual Obli- 
 gation of obferving the Sahhath Bay^ and keeping it 
 Holy. Before I proceed any Rirther, I ihall make a 
 brief Application of what hath been already Confide- 
 red. And now that we have feen what great Grounds 
 and Reafons, we have for the Religious Obfervation of 
 the Sahhath Day -, let us all my Brethren and Fv^llow- 
 Chriftians make a Confcience of this Duty, by apply- 
 ing our felves to all thofe Holy and Divine Exer- 
 cifes, for which this Day was inflituted and appointed. 
 Let us at this Time Contemplate upon God our Great 
 Creator, Preferver and Governour, and the Author of 
 all the Bleffings we enjoy : and not only that^ but 
 moreover as One whofe Regard to us extends beyond 
 the tieavens, and reaches to Eternity. Who has not 
 only provided for us in this fhort Life, but hath alfo 
 prepared an everlafting State of unfpeakable Happi- 
 nefs for us, when this World and all the Pleafures of it 
 fhall be at an End. Nay, and whofe Love to us was 
 fo exceeding Great, that Hejent His only Begotten Son in- 
 to the Worlds who died for our Sins,, and rofe again for our 
 Jujlification. John. iii. i6. Rojn. iv. 25. Does not fo great 
 Love and Kindnefs as this, demand every Mom^ent of 
 our Time, and the urmoft v/hich the Powers and Facul- 
 ties of Soul and Body can perform in Return to fo Good 
 and Excellent a Being ? Methinks it would be little 
 enough if in the Words o^SiJchn, Rev. iv. 8, 11. we 
 fhouldbecontinually praifingGod and faying Holy., Holy, 
 Holy, Lord God Almighty \ Thou art worthy to receive Glory 
 and Honour and Power, for thou hafi createdall things. But 
 our State and Condition in this World, will not admit 
 of this Perfe6lion. We muft provide and labour for 
 the neceffary and convenient Things of this Life-, and 
 therefore we cannot always be employed in the A6lual 
 Exercife of Religion. This our Good and Gracious 
 God well knows : And becaufe we cannot fubfifl with- 
 out thefe prefent Things, He therefore allows us fix 
 
 Days 
 
Religious Obfervatiofi of the Lord's Day. 6 r 
 
 Days in the Week to compafs and procure them •, and 
 hath referved only one T>iy in feven for His public 
 Worfhip and Service. What Thought then muft we 
 have of God ; what Notion of His Mercies -, what 
 Senfe of our Condition ; of our prefent Wants and fu- 
 ture Exiftence ; nay what is become of our Religion, 
 or even of our Reafon it felf •, if we fhall think much 
 of fo (-f) fmall a Portion of ourTime to be Dedicated to 
 His Service ? To His Service, did I fay ? I fhould 
 rather have fiid to our own (g) •, fmce we can never 
 pofTibly ferve God, but at the fame Time we do there- 
 by infinitely more ferve our felves. Oh then ! Let all 
 thefe Confiderations engage us all to ferve Him ; and 
 as a Principal Part of That Service, to P^emsmher the 
 Sabbath Day and keep it Holy, 
 
 (t) Since God has been fo good and fo moderate in His Demands, 
 as to require but one Day in fevsn ; it is but reafonable that of our 
 felves we fhould make a Free-will-OfFering of fome lefTer Portion 
 of the other Six. Dr hittltiorC s Sermons f^ol. II. p. 175. 
 
 [g) 'Tis a great Condefcenfion and Goodnefs in God, to accept 
 our Imperfect Praifes, and Ignorant Admiration of Him ; and were 
 He not as wonderfully Good as He is Great and Glorious, Ke 
 would not fuffer U3 to fully His Great and Glorious Name, by ta- 
 lking it in our Mouths ; and were it not for our Advantage and 
 Happinefs to own and acknowledge His Benefits, for any real 
 Happinefs and Glory, ttet comes to Him from it, He could well 
 enough be without it, anddifpenfe with us for ever entertaining one 
 Thought of Him ; and were it not for His Goodnefs might dcfpife 
 the Praifes of His Creatures, with infinitely more Reafon, than 
 wife Mea do the Applaufe of Fools. Tillotjhn^ Vol. 11. p. 681 , 
 
 CHAP 
 
62 
 
 A Dijcourje concerning the 
 
 C H A P. II. 
 
 Concerning the Change of the Sabbath Day, from 
 the Seventh to the Firft Day of the Week, 
 
 A V I N G in the foregoing Chap- 
 ter fully fhewn the perpetual Obliga- 
 tion of obferving the Sahbath Bay, 
 and keeping it holy -, I proceed 
 now to the Confideration of the next 
 Particular, which is to give an Ac- 
 count of the Change of the Day 
 from the Seventh to the Firft Day of 
 the Week. And this 1 think very neceflary to be done, 
 becaufe, as I obferved before, it is the Opinion of 
 fome Men, that if we are bound to keep the Sahbath 
 Bay at all, by virtue of any Command in Holy 
 Scripture, we ought to keep it on the fame Day of the 
 Week as xhtjews did. And we have had a Sedl of Men 
 in this Kingdom who called themfelves Sabbatarians, 
 upon this Account, viz, becaufe they kept the feventh 
 Bay of the Week and not the jlrft, for their Chriffian 
 Sabbath, And it was the known Opinion of the £- 
 hionites of Old, that the Jewijh Sabbath was of ne- 
 ceffity to be obferved as well as the Lord's Day (/). 
 But now that we are under no fuch Obligation will 
 eafily appear, if we confider that we are not bound to 
 the Obfervation of the Sabbath by virtue of the Law 
 
 which 
 
 (t) Vid, Eufeb. Hift. Eccl, lib. iii» cap. xxiv. 
 
Religious Obfervatio?t of the Lord's Day. 63 
 
 which God gave to the Ifraelites by Mofes •, for this is 
 a yim.tv o^ 2ijewijh Confideration, and zsfucb^ wholly 
 related to that People •, and confequently upon the 
 ceafmg of that Law^ it did of itfelf expire with it. 
 Thus St Paul hath determined the Cafe, Colojf, ii. 16, 
 Let no Man judge you in Meat or Drink^ or in refpeEt of 
 nn holy Day\ or of the New Moon^ or of the Sabbath 
 Days ; which are a Shaddow of things to come^ hut the 
 Body is of Chrift, Indeed fo far as the Sabbath is of a 
 Moral Confideration, fo far does the Command which 
 God gave to the Jews, lay an Obligation upon us {u) •, 
 And as God hath required the Obfervation of the Sab- 
 bath in Memory of the Creation^ and our BlefTed Sa- 
 viour hath likewife commanded us to keep it in the 
 Law of His Gofpel, as hath been before taken notice 
 of (*)-, it certainly doth henceforth receive the Force of 
 pofitive Inftitution, and the Obligation of it is for ever 
 binding among Chriftians, But then this Obligation 
 can extend no further than is required by that Law, 
 and that is to obferve one Day in every Week, in Me- 
 mory of the Creation, and as a Day of Holy Reft and 
 Divine Worfhip. This is all that the Gofpel of Chrift 
 enjoins us to do, with regard to the fourth Command- 
 ment, For as to the Particular Day on which the 
 Jews kept their Sabbath •, that was determined by fuch 
 Reafons, as do no more concern us than any Thing 
 elie in the Mofaic Difpenfation. The Ground and 
 Reafon of the jewifh Obfervation of the Sabbath, vfas 
 the Remembrance of their Deliverance from the Land 
 of Egypt, as hath been fhewn before from Beut, v. 
 15. where after the Inftitution of the Sabbath, it isfaid. 
 Remember thou waft a Servant in the Land of Egypt ^ 
 and that the Lord thy God brought thee cut thence through a 
 mighty Hand and by a ftr etched out Ann, therefore the Lord 
 thy God comr.ianded thee to keep the Sabbath Day. This 
 is the true Ground upon which the Jews (confi- 
 
 deted 
 
 (u) See BiJ^p ^vimct, Artic» VII. p, lo^, 104. 
 {* ) See a^ove f. 9, 24. 
 
64 -^ Difcourfe concerni?2g the 
 
 dered as fuch) did obferve this Inflitiition (f). And 
 that which diredled them to the Particular Day, which 
 they were obliged to keep, we find in &f^. xvi. 26, 
 27. And that was the ceafmg of the Manna to drop 
 on that Day, as it had done on all the other Days of 
 the "Week. Thus hys Mcfes^ Six Bays Jhall ye gather it, 
 hut in the feventh Day^ ivhich is the Sabbath, in it there 
 /hall be none. And it came to pafs, that there 'xent cut 
 fome of the People en the feventh Day for to gather^ and 
 they found none. And that this was the Sign by which 
 they were to difcover the Day of their Sabbath, is very 
 evident from hence •, that that Day feven-night they 
 had gone a long Journey, as appears from the firft 
 Verfe of this Chapter. Now what are thefe Reafons 
 to us ? or hov/ are we concerned at the dropping down 
 of Manna in the Wildernefs, or at the Deliverance of 
 the Jews from the Land of Egypt ? So that from 
 hence it is very plain that we are not bound to obferve 
 the JewiJIj Sabbath^ on the Account of any Law that 
 was given to the Jews \ and are no further fubjedl to 
 any fuch Inftitution, than as it hath pleafed God to re- 
 quire It of Mankind m general., or it is to be deduced 
 from the Laws and Precepts of Chrift^s Gojpel. And by 
 this, as I have already intimated, we are obliged to no 
 more than to obferve one Day in every Week, as a 
 Day of God's Worlhip and Service. Agreeably to 
 
 this. 
 
 (i) Now this (the Deliverance from the Land of Enpt) could 
 not be any fpecial Reafon why the Jews fhould obferve a fever.th 
 Bay ; firfi^ becaufe in reference to their Redemption the Number 
 of /even had no more Relation than any other Number. Secondly, 
 becaufe the Reafon of the Jeveith Day, was before rendered in the 
 Body of the Commandment it felf There was therefore a double 
 Reafon rendered by God, why the Jews fhould keep that Sabbath 
 which they did : ont fpecial y as to a feventh Day, to Ihew they 
 vvorlhipped that God, who was the Creator of the World ; the 
 other i'JividuaL to fignify their Deliverance from the Egyptian 
 Bondage, from which that feventh Day was dated. Bijiop Pear- 
 fon o?i the Creed, p. 265 c 
 
Religious Obfervdtion of the Lord*s Day. 6 c 
 
 this, we find in Scripture, that upon the Ceafino- of 
 the Jewijh Law, at the Death of Chnli^ the Obliga- 
 tion of the Jew'ijh Sahhath ceafed with it ; and hence- 
 forth, thtfirft Day of the Week was obferved by our 
 BlefTed Saviour and His Apoftles, and all fucceedino- 
 Chriftians : and the Reafon of it was this, becaufe our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift did on that Day, rife from tlie Dead 
 (k)^ and thereby perfedbed that Redemption, which 
 He wrought for us by His Death. Hence the Obli- 
 gation of the Jewijh Law ceafed and expired, as is 
 well exprefifed by St Paul, Col. ii. 14. Chrift bath 
 
 blotted out the Hand Writing of Ordinances and took 
 
 it out of the Way^ nailing it to His Crofs : herein plainly 
 fignifying to us, that by the Death of Chrift, all that 
 was Ceremonial and Figurative in the Law of Mofes^ 
 had it's full and final Completion. From this Time, 
 the Particular Day of the Jewijh Sabbath was not ob- 
 ferved by virtue of any Divine Law and Authority •, 
 tho' the Sabbath itfelf often was : but there was a Change 
 of the Day from the feventh to the firft Day of the 
 Week. And this was certainly done upon the highefl 
 Reafon ; fince if the Deliverance of the Jews from the 
 Egyptian Bondage be a fufficient Ground for their Obfer- 
 vation of a Particular Day in Token of that Deli- 
 verance ', our Spiritual Redemption from the Domi- 
 nion of Sin and Death by the Refurredlion of Chrift^ 
 mull furely be a much better Reafon for our Obferva- 
 tion of the ftrft Day of the Week in Memory of that 
 Refurredlion (I). And thus we find this Matter de- 
 termined by our BlefTed Saviour and His Apoftles, 
 who henceforward obferved the frft Day of the Week, 
 
 F as 
 
 (k) This Account of th^ Obfervation of the Lord's Day, is 
 %\\^nhy Ignatius in Epiji. ad Magnes. Clem. Alex, in Strom, 
 lib. vii. Jujiin Martyr in J pel. I. Orlgen in Horn. V. in Efaiam, 
 Jug. de Civitat. Dei lib. xxii. ca-^. ult. And by feveral others of 
 the antient Writers. 
 
 (I) Vid, Pearfon on the Creed, p. 265J 2^6* 
 
66- A Dlfcoitrfe concerning' tht 
 
 a?' their Cbrijlian Sabbath^ which we read ini^^-z;. i. icp? 
 is called by St John the Loj^d^s Day, as was before 
 fliewn. This is a very fufficient Reaifcn for the Change 
 of the Sabbath Day, And tho' I am fenfible, fome 
 Men earneilly contend, that if there was to be a Change 
 in the Day of the Sabbath, we ought to have had an. 
 exprefs Precept of Chrift or- His-Apoilles for it-, yet 
 I cannot think it' in any wife Necefiary-. For fince Cas : 
 hath been already prbvedj Our Elefied Saviour and 
 His- Apoftles infliruted the Lord's Day, it is of na 
 confequence in what Way and Method they fignified 
 their Mind to us. For to ufe the Words of a Learn- 
 ed Prelate upon this Oecafion,: '^ Not only th^ formal 
 " Precepts orally given, of thofe who are in Autho- 
 '' rity, but the certain Intimation of their Pleafure,. 
 *•' by what Way foever it be done, doth oblige their 
 
 *'^' Subjects. The Antient or Common Law of 
 
 '^' England doth not confift in Statutes but in Old Qf- 
 " toms and Freftdents, grounded upon Practice. And 
 *' a Cuftom immemorialyitncontrolledis a fuiiicient Proof 
 ■^^ of Sovereign Approbation. And Example is a more ■ 
 " compendious Way of Dircftion, than Precepts^' 
 '* To qucftion now whether there was a formal Pre- 
 *'• cept for that which all the Chriflian World hath o-, 
 *'' beyedever fince Chrifs Time, and fhallobey until 
 " ChrijVs fecond Coming, is a ftrange Degree of Folly 
 *' (?n).'^ And this is acknowledged by Billiop I'aylor 
 himfelf, w^ho fpeaking of this Matter fays, ' It is 
 ^'' true what Jiifi'm Martyr (aid, our Ble£ed Lord Him^ 
 " felf changed this Day ;- that is, by annulling the. 
 *' Sabbath, and by K^ls Refarred;.ion and excellent Ap- 
 ^■' pearances and liluflrations upon that Day -, not by 
 " Precept, but by Indigitation, and remarking that 
 *' Day, by fignal Actions and an heap of Blef- 
 
 fingS' 
 
 i^m) Archhipop Bramhail's Works, p. 91S, 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord's Day. 6j 
 
 " fings (;?)•> ^^." And indeed, notwithflanding die 
 pofinve AfTurancs and intemperate Zeal, which fome 
 Tvlen have exprefled in this Particular, what a very 
 Learned Prelate hath oBferved on this Occafion, is I 
 think very Judicious and linanfwerable ♦, viz. that 
 " tho' it feems very clear, that here (in Gen, ii.) a per- 
 " fetual Law was given the World for the feparating 
 ** the feventh Day ;" {which Law as I have before 
 taken notice (p) of was renewed and ejlahlifii^d in Exod. xx.) 
 *' Yet it was a mere Circumftance, and does not at all 
 *' belong to the (landing Ufe of the Law, in what 
 *' End of the Week this Day was to be reckoned ; 
 ** whether the firft or the laft : fothat even a lefs Au- 
 *' thority than the Apoftles, and a lefs Occafion than 
 *' the Refurre6lion of Cbift^ might have ferved to 
 " have transferred the Day •, there being in this no 
 " Breach made on the good and moral Defign of this 
 *' Law, which is all in it, that we Ought to reckon 
 " Sacred and Inviolable (p)." And this is m Effedl 
 allowed by Archbifhop Bramhall himfelf, who tho' in 
 his Treatife of the Sabbath and Lord's Bay^ he argues 
 that if we are obliged to obferve the Sabbath in Memory 
 of the Creation by virtue of God's Command in Gen, 
 ii. we fhoiild be obliged to keep it on the fame Day of 
 the Week on which God refted from His Works ; 
 yet in another Part of the fame Difcourfe, when fhew- 
 ing how the Lord's Day may be faid to be Sacred to 
 each of the Divine Perfons in the BlefTed Trinity, and 
 
 F 2 obferving 
 
 (//) Duftor Dubitaritium Book ii. chap', ii. Rule vi. § 56. 
 
 \o) See above p. 28. 
 , ( />J Burnet Artie. Vll. p. 104. Lex (de Sabbato Gen. ii.) etl 
 immutabiiis, propter caufaiti immutabilem fi caufa ilia feu finis illc 
 heceflario & perpetuo hanc legem tanquam effeilum aut medium 
 requ'rat : non autem, fi aliis Mediis ad eundem finem redliu^ per- 
 veniatur, aut alia lege eundem finem non minus confequi Legiflator 
 poteft. Atqui Meditatio Sc Cfelebratio operum Dei non minus alio 
 die quim feptimo fieri potefl-. Ea igitur Legem defeptimo die non 
 facit perpetuam. Vrfmi Ex^lUat, CaUch, ^aj}, lo^, §. 2. 
 
68 A Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 obf^rvlng how the firft Day of the Week may be Sa- 
 cred to God the Father •, he fays '' It preferveth the 
 *' Memorial of the Creation^ as well as the /event h Day.'* 
 And again, " that the frft Day of the Week doth 
 " preferve the Memory of the Creation^ as well as the 
 " Bay after the Creation (q),^* And thus we have a 
 a dear Account of the Change of the Sabbath Day, 
 from the feventh to the frji Day of the Week, and a 
 very fufficient Reafon alledged to vindicate that Alte- 
 ration. If any one therefore fliall think it neceflary to 
 keep the Jezvij^ Sabbath^ we may juftly fay of fuchan 
 one, as St Paul did of thofe who thought they were 
 bound to be circumcifed , viz, Chrift /hall profit him 
 nothing. Gal. v. 2. For to imagine a Neceflity of ob- 
 fervir-g the Jeisci/h Sabbath, is to conclude the Law of 
 Mo/es to be fliil in Force, And then, as the Apoftle 
 fays, 1/ Righteou/ne/s come by the Lazv, Chrift is dead in 
 vain. Gal. 11.21, 'Tis true indeed, the Apoilles after 
 the Reflirreftion of Chrift, did whilft they converfed 
 with the Jews, in great Meafure obferve the Day of 
 their Sabbath. Thus we read that St Paul^ent into 
 the Synagogue of the Jews at I'heffalonica, and three 
 Sabbath Days reafoned with them out of the Scriptures, 
 A^s xvii. 2. The fame likewife we find mentioned in 
 other Places. Acfsyim. 14, 44. chap.xYiii. 4. And 
 this they did not by virtue of any Obligation to the 
 Law of the Jewi/b Sabbath *, but by the Liberty which 
 they had from the Chriftian Religion, and as being 
 glad to embrace any Opportunity of converiing with 
 the Jews, that they might thereby the better convert 
 them to the Faith of Chrift, by the Preaching of the 
 Go/pel •, and that the Obfervation of their Law might 
 expire with the greater Decorum and Refped, as the 
 Antients ufcd fometimes to exprefs this Matter. But 
 when the Apoilles turned to the Gentiles, and the Jews 
 
 who 
 
 (<}) BramhallV Works, /. 924, 92 S. 
 
Religious Ohfer'-oation of the Lord*s Day. 69 
 
 who were amongft them, infifted upon die NeceiTity 
 of obferving their Law, we find that their Pradlice 
 was quite different. Thus St Faul^ tho* he had often 
 complied with the Jews in many of their Obfcrvances -, 
 ■{v'ld, I Cor. ix. 20. AEis xvi. 3. chap. xxi. 26.) yet 
 was fo far from giving up his Cbriftian Liberty, that 
 when the Jews endeavoured to infringe upon it, he 
 declared be would not give Suhje^ion to them., even for an 
 Hour, Gal. ii. 5. And tho' it was cuftomary with the 
 Primiiive Chriftians in fome Churches to obferve the 
 JezviJJj (r) Sabbath as well as the Lord's Day -, that they 
 might give no OfTence to the Jews, and have the bet- 
 ter Opportunity of bringing them over to the Belief 
 of the Gofpd, as was before intimated •, yet in procefs 
 of Time, when Cbrijiians began to judaize in that 
 Point, and to lay fome itrefs upon the Obfervadon of 
 the JewiffO Sabbath ; we find what was the Senfe of 
 the Church in that Matter, by the Twenty-ninth Ca- 
 non of the Council of Laodicea ; which was made di- 
 redlly againft fuch Chrifiiam, as fhould keep the Jewifh 
 Sabbath., as thinking themfelves under an Obligation 
 to obferve that as well as the hordes Day. And by this 
 Canon they were required to work on the Sabbath Day.^ 
 and to prefer the Lord's Day before {s) it. And that 
 which will clearly demonftrate, that we are not obliged 
 to obferve the Jew\jh Sabbath., is that folemn Determi- 
 nation which was made by the Apoilles and Elders at 
 Jerufalem., concerning the Obligation of the Law of 
 Mofes. A£ls XV, For when certain Perfons which came 
 down from Judcea., had taught the Brethren at Anttochy 
 that except they were clrcumcifed andkep the Law of Mofes, 
 
 F 3 they 
 
 (r) Fid. SocratisHIH. Eccl. lib. vi. cap. vlii. Tarn ^Scilicet fub 
 Hadriano) pene omncs Chriflum Deum, fub Legis Obfervationc 
 credebant. Su/pit. Sev. Sacr. Hifi. lib. ii. p- 142. 
 
 (s) Non oportet Chridianos judaizare, & in Sabbato vacare, fed 
 operari eos in eadem die dominicam praeponenlo eidemdiei. gfrr. 
 Tbii Council was held about A. D. 367. 
 
JO A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 they CGuld not he faved -, ver i . the Council of Jerufa- 
 lem afTembled upon this Occafion, and came to this 
 Refolution, viz, that the Qentiles were net obliged 
 to ohfervs the Law of Mofes \ but that they might 
 give no Offence to the Je-ws^ whilft they lived among 
 them -, they enjoined them to obferve the precepts of 
 the Sons of Noah, as they were called, (and v/hich only 
 were required of the Jewijh Profelytes of the Gate ( t ) 
 viz. that they Jhozdd ahftain from Meats offered to Idols, 
 and from Blood, and from Things ftr angled, and from 
 Fornicaticn. ver. 29 (u). From all which it very 
 clearly appears, that we are not bound by any Law of 
 God, to keep our- Sahhath upon the feventh Day of the 
 Week as the Jews did : but on the contrary, we are 
 obliged to obferv^e the Lor is Day -, which hath always 
 been fet apart by Chrift and His Apoftles and the Ca- 
 thclic Church, as a Day of God's Public Worfhip and 
 and Service, and which has accordingly been dignified 
 and celebrated in all Ages of Chriftianity, with great 
 Devotion. And thus I have given an Account of the 
 
 Change 
 
 (/'JThc Jemfh Profelytes or Converts were of two Sorts. iv*r/f, 
 *TheProfei\tcs ofjufticc, or of the Covenant •» thefetook upon them 
 the Obligation of the whole Law of Mofes^ by Baptifm, Sacrifice 
 and Circumcifion ; and were in all Refpefts accounted as Natural 
 born Jews, and admitted into all the Benefits and Privileges of the 
 Mcfatc Covenant, excepting that of Intermarriages, from which 
 •they were in fome Cafes excluded. The Second were called Pro- 
 felytes of the Gate. Thefe were orily obliged to obferve the {qvcw 
 Precepts of the Sons of Koah, which required them to worfhip the 
 true God, to avoid Idolatry, Uncleannefs, c^r. as in the Text. 
 And they were called Profelytes cf the Gate, becaui'ethey were per- 
 mitted by the Jezvs to dwell within the Gates of their Cities, which 
 other Heathens were not. And thefe are the Perfons who were 
 called the Strangers zvithin th^^ Gates in the Fourth CommandmsrU 
 And they were allowed alfo to worfhip God in the Temple, but 
 not to go any further than the outward Court, called the Court of 
 the Geniiles» If the Reader hath a Mind to know any Thing more 
 concerning thefe two Sorts of Profelytes, let him confult Dr Ham- 
 fnond on A6ls xv. 29. Dr Pnaeaux's Connexion 8vo. Vol. IlTo 
 p. 434,&c. 
 •• (u) Fid. Hammond on the Plac?. 
 
\ReUgious Obfirvafion of thehovdJs Day. yi 
 
 ^Change of the Sabbath Day, from the feventh to tl;e 
 frft Day of the Week. I fliall before I fhut up this 
 Plead, confider the Force of an Gbjedion, which is 
 fometimes urged in Defence of the Obfervation of ths 
 Jewifh Sabbath. This is taken fiom Esod, xxxi. i6, 
 17. where God fays, that the Children of Ifrael fiall 
 ebferve the 'Sabbath for a perpetual Covenant ; and that 
 it is a Sign between Him and the Children of Ifrael for 
 i-ver. And the Jews bring the fame Objedrion againft 
 the v^ho\Q''Ch?'iftian Religion, on account of the like 
 ExprelTions which are ufed in the Old'TeJament, con- 
 cerning their L^i^ and their Prieflhood^ yiz. that they 
 ere- faidto be everlafting. (Fid, Exod xii. -14. xx-vri. 21. 
 Lev.x. 15. xvi. 34. Numb. XV ill, '11. E'xod. xl 15). 
 Which Objedion, if it be true in that Senfe in which 
 ihey urge 'it, will undoubtedly eftablifli that Conclu- 
 lion which is grounded thereupon. It therefore de- 
 lerves a ferious-Confideration. Now the whole Force 
 of this Objection depends upon this Suppofition, viz, 
 that the Words /cr ever and everlafting inthefe and the 
 •like Places of Scripture, are ufed in a JlriB Senfe for a 
 Duration that fliall never come to a Period and "Con- 
 •clufion : as much as 'to fay ; 'that as long as the 
 World -i^elf endures, the- Covenant of the 'Law, the 
 Friefthood and the Jewifh Sabbath fhall abide and con- 
 tinue. In anfwer to which, not to mention that no 
 Expreflions how Solemn foever when applied to the 
 Pofitive Laws of God_, can put any Liinitation upofi 
 the Law-giver's Powder to abrogate and repeal them at 
 His Pleafure, or can mean any Thing farther than 
 that the People have no Authority over thofe Laws 
 .to change or alter tliem when they think fit (x) j I lay 
 
 not 
 
 '(^) By the Phrafes of a Statute for cjer or throirhout all Genera- 
 ■tiom^ can only be meant, that fuch Laws were notTranfient Laws, 
 ■"•fuch as were to be obferved whiht they marched through the Wil- 
 ■dernefs, or upon particular Occafiona ; A^hereas fuch Laws v\ hich 
 .SrXere fonft^ntly and generally to be obferved, were to them -per.pe- 
 
 JLual. 
 
72 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 not to mention this, that the Words for ever and ever- 
 lofting^ when attributed to the Jewijh Sabbath and Priejl^ 
 hoed cannot pofTibly fignify any more than this, viz. 
 that thefe Inflitutions were not Tranfient and Tempo- 
 rary, bat fiich as fhould continue as long as the Dif- 
 penfationof the Law itfelf. But they could not by any 
 Means abide any longer ; becaufe the Law of Mofes 
 itfelf, of which they were a Part, was to come to an 
 End and Conclufion. This is very evident from fe- 
 veral clear and inconteftable Prophecies of the Old 
 Teftafiient^ which relate to the Mejfiah that was to come 
 into the World •, by whom the Law of Mofes fhould 
 have it's full and final Completion. Thus it is faid Gd"/?. 
 xlix. ID. that the Sceptre fhall not depart from Judah, 
 nor a Lazv-gher from between his Feet^ until Shiloh come \ 
 the plain Meaning of which is this, that the Jewifh 
 Law and Government fhould continue 'till the Com- 
 ing of Chrift (f ). But now it is plain from all Hiftory 
 that the Jews have been a fcattered and difperfed People 
 for almoil 1700 Years ; which is a very clear Proof 
 that their Law could not be everlafting in the flrid: 
 Senfe of that Word, becaufe it was to have an End 
 and Period put to it by the Coming of the Mejfiah, 
 There are Icveral other Places of Scripture which 
 
 prove 
 
 *ual. But that does not import that the Law-giver himfelf had 
 parted with all the Authority that naturally belongs to Him, over 
 His own Laws. It only fays that the People had no Power over 
 fuch Laws, to repeal or charge them : they were to bind them al- 
 ways ; but that puts no Limitation upon the Law-giver Himfelf, 
 fo that He might not alter His own Conftitutions. Pofitive Pre- 
 cepts which have no real Value in themfelves, are of their own 
 Nature alterable : and as in Human Laws, the Words of Enafting 
 a Law for all future Times, do only make that to be a perpetual 
 Law for the Subjefts, but do not at all limit the Legiflatiye Power, 
 which is as much at Liberty to abrogate or alter it, as if no fuch 
 Words had been in the Law. Burnet Artie. ViL />• 9^; To 
 fuppofe God unpoflefTed of a Power to fufpend or controul his own 
 Laws, is to fuppofe him unpoiTefTed of a Right EiTential to all Legi- 
 slative Authority. Revelation examined with Candour VoL IL /.25U 
 (I) Vid. Poli. Synqpf. Critic, in he. 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 73 
 
 prove this ; and that the Gentile World was to be ad- 
 mitted into Covenant with God, which plainly figni- 
 fied the Abolition of the Jewi/b Polity and Govern- 
 ment f^);). But I fhall not fpend any more Time 
 in the Confideration of them. J fhall therefore only 
 mention that of the Prophet Daniel^ who not only 
 foretells our BlefTed Saviour's Coming into the World, 
 but alfo the exadl and precife Time in which He 
 fhould come ; which was accordingly in the moft 
 pundual Manner accomplifhed ; njiz, that he fhould 
 come at the End of 490 Years after the Rebuilding of 
 Jerufalem^ which had been laid wafte during the Cap- 
 tivity -, that He Jkould he cut off ; and that the City 
 and SanBuary fhould he dejlroyed ; and He Jhould 
 caufe the Sacrifice and Ohlation to ceafe. Dan, ix. 
 24, &V. Now all this happened exadbly ; our Blef- 
 fed Saviour came into the World at this very Time ; 
 He put an End to the Inflitutions of thtje^jji/h Law ; 
 and did Himfelf in moft exprefs Words prophefy the 
 Deftrudion of the Temple, and declared that me 
 Stone of it Jhould not he left upon another^ which 
 Jhould not he thrown down. Matt, xxiv. all which 
 came to pafs in the Year of our Lord 7 1 . when Vef 
 pafian and his Son "Titus deflroyed the City of Jeruja^ 
 km and laid their Temple level with the Ground ; and 
 not only that, but alfo killed about iiooooo of the 
 Jews^ and took about 97000 of them Prifoners. 
 Here the Jewijh Commonwealth came to an End, and 
 has never fmce been able to revive in any Kingdom 
 of the World to this Day. And this Judgment was 
 fo remarkably inflifted by God upon that obftinate 
 People, that about 291 Years after, when Julian 
 the Apoftate endeavoured to rebuild the Temple 
 at Jerufalem^ and reflore the JewiJJj Rites (as thinking 
 
 that 
 
 (y) ^^^ particularh Pr^l i?. ?. xxii. 27. Ifa. xlix. 6. CIi. xi. 
 10. &c. r/«/. Burnet Ank. Vil. p. 93, &c. 
 
J74 Jl Difcourje concerning the 
 
 that would be an unanfwerable Argument againft 
 €hriftiamty, fince it would invalidate the Prediftions of 
 ©ur Blefled Saviour relating to that MatterJ we are 
 afllired that the Divine Vengeance would not fuffer it; 
 for dreadful Balls of Fire illued out from the Foun- 
 dation, which deftroyed th&Work as faft as it was 
 built, and at length forced the Workmen to give 
 over the Attempt, by rendering the Place inaccefiible. 
 The Truth of which remarkable Providence is not 
 -only attefted by Socrates Scholafticus {zj, Chryfoftom (a) 
 and other antient Writers of the Church, but alfo by 
 u4mmianus Marcellinus (b) himfelf, a Pagan Hiilorian, 
 who ferved in the Wars under Julian in the Eaft, at 
 the very Time when this happened. But, 
 
 Secondly The whole Force of thisOhjed^ion and aH 
 ^hat is built upon it, will very cafily be removed by 
 the Letter of the Old ^eflament itfelf ; in feveral Places 
 of which the Words for ever and everlaffmg do figni- 
 fy only a limited, and frequently a very fhort Time. 
 Thus Gen, xvii. 7, 8. God fays that He v/ill give to 
 ihe Poflerity of Abraham the Land of Canaan for an 
 everlafting Pollefilon. Now ("not to mention, that 
 hj the Land of 'Canaan in this place the Kingdom of 
 rieaven is typicalh fignined and reprefented, as many 
 Learned Men {c) have clearly demonilrated) the Jews 
 
 themfelves 
 
 (2.), Socrat. Hill. Eccl. lib. iii. cap. xvii. 
 (a)^ Chryfoll. in Uom. IV, in Matt. 
 
 (b) Ambidofum quondam apud Hierofolymam Templum, quod 
 .poll muka interneciva Certamina, cbfidente Vefpafjano pofteaquis 
 Tito, asgre eil e^pugna-tum, inftaurare immodicis fumptibus excogi- 
 tabat, negotiumque maturandum Alypio dederat Antiochenft, qui 
 olim Britannias curaverat pro Praefe6lis. Cum itaque Rei idem for- 
 titerinilaret Alypius,juvaretque Provinciae Re6lQr,Metuendi Globi 
 "Flammarum prope fundamcnta crebris alTultibus erumpentcs, fecere 
 "Jocum, exuftis aliquoties operantibus inaccefTum, hocque modo 
 Elemento deftinatius repellente, ceflavit inceptum. Ajnmlan. Mar- 
 selL Hijlor. lib. xxiii. cap. i. 
 
 (c) See particularly Dr Sherlock on the Immortality of the Soul, 
 irr.pA-j^to 1 99. Pr Clarke's Connexion of Prophecies,eS^^/-. 10. u. 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 7^ 
 
 i enifelves will not fuppofe that God would be falfe to 
 His Word and Promife -, and therefore fmce the Pof- 
 te;ity of Abraham hath been driven out of that Land for 
 fo many Ages •, this is a Demonftration that the Word 
 everlafting in that Place muft be underltood in a finite 
 limited Senfe, to fignify their PofTefiion of that Land, 
 during the Difpenfation of the Law. This is yet 
 more plain in the Law of Men-fervants Ei^od. xxi. 
 where a Servant that was to be rcleafed, upon declar- 
 ing againft his Freedom before the Judges, is faid to 
 be obliged to ferve his Mailer for ever, ver. 6. Now 
 how is that ? Why the plain Meaning of the Phrafc 
 for ever in that Place is this, viz. that there Ihould be 
 no Part of his Days in which he iliculd not be a Ser- 
 vant, or that he fhould ferve during Life. And in 
 this fenfe the Word Eternal or Everlafting is ufed by 
 the beft ClaJJlc Writers (J). And this is exadly the 
 'Cafe of the Jewifh Sahhath and Priefthood. They were 
 everlafting Covenants between God and the Jezvs -, i. e. 
 there fhould be no Time under thtjezvi/b Difpenfation 
 in which thefe Things were not to abide and continue. 
 But it is impoflible that they fhould be defigned to con- 
 tinue for ever in the ilridt Senf? of that Word ; becaufe 
 as hath been before obferved, the Law of Moft's itfelf 
 of which they were a Part, was to come to a Period 
 and Conclufion. The Subftance of what has been laid 
 upon this Head, is this : The Jewijh Sahhath was of 
 Force, fo long as the Law of Mofes continued ; but 
 upon the Abolition of that Law, is ceafes to be of any 
 Obligation. Our BlefTed Saviour hath commanded 
 us to obferve the Sahhath ; but not the Particular Day 
 which 
 
 (d) Serviet ^ternum» qaia-parvis nefcietuti. Horaf. Epiji. lib. z„ 
 Ep, 10. Spero dehinc inter nos 3Eternam gratiam fore. Tere?7t. 
 in Eunuch. Aa. v. Seen. 2. ^ternumque daret Matn fubpe.^ore 
 Vulnus.. Lucret. lib. it. Et in eodem fenfu voces dicfli©-^ cticJviQ-^ 
 ^ Grascis Scriptoribus frequentius uiurp; ntur. Jta Lujos Seculares 
 a Romanis celebratos Grsci vocabant aiionnf, ut Herodot. tellatur 
 /^/. Hi. Sc Thucyd. ilipendium in vitam duraturum vocat dUn/ 
 
yb A 'Difcourfe a)ncerning the 
 
 which the Jews kept in token of their Deliverance 
 from the Land of Egypt ^ which is of no Concern at 
 all to us ; but the firft Day of the Week, in which 
 He rofe from the Dead, and thereby compleated the 
 great Work of our Redemption. This is the hordes 
 J)ay which we are obliged to obferve, not only in 
 Memory of the Creation of the World, (which is the 
 lirft Ground of the Inftitution of the Sabbath) but alfo 
 m Contemplation of that great Article of our Faith, 
 the Refurredion of Jefiis Chrift from the Dead, and 
 the ineftimable Value of that Redemption which He 
 hath wrought thereby. And God grant that we may 
 all make a Confcience of obferving it in that Pious 
 and Religious Manner which we ought to do •, and 
 that not only from the Reafon and Duty of the Thing 
 \xM^^ but alfo from the many and great Benefits and 
 and Advantages of fo doing ; which is the next Thing 
 to be confidered. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 77 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Concerning the Benefits and Advantages of a Relt-- 
 gious Objervation of the Lord's-Day. 
 
 A V I N G in the faregolng Chap- 
 ters fhewn the Neceflity and Obli- 
 gation of obferving One Day ia 
 every Week, and keeping it Holy, 
 together with the Grounds and Rea- 
 fons of fo doing ; and having like- 
 wife confidered upon w^hat Accounts 
 there was a Change made of the Sabbath^ from the 
 Seventh to the Firfi Day of the Week, which is called 
 the Lord's Day -, I proceed now to lay before the Rea- 
 der the many and great Benefits and Advantages of a 
 Pious and Religious Obfervation of this Holy Day, 
 Now the Benefits and Advantages of a Religious Ob- 
 fervation of the Lord^s Day are thefe Four. 
 
 Firjl, It is the greateft Means under God's Provi- 
 dence of keeping up a Senfe of God and Religion in 
 the World. Secondly ^ It is the befl Method to fecure 
 the Protedlion of God and His BlefTing upon all our En- 
 deavours. 'Thirdly^ It does in the greatefl Meafure 
 promote the Happinefs and Benefit of Humane So- 
 ciety ; as it is the Means of inftru6ling all Orders of 
 Men in the feveral Duties which diey owe to God and 
 
 to 
 
78 .A DifcoUrfe concerning the 
 
 to one another. . And Fourthly and Lajlly. It is of ths 
 greateft Ufe and Advantage to every Particular Per- 
 fon in the Important Concernment of his own Salva- 
 tion. And, 
 
 Pirft^^ A Pious ^nd Religious Obfervation of the 
 Lord's Day is the greateft means under God's Pro- 
 vidence of keeping up a Senfe of God and Religion 
 in the World. This is evident at firft fight : for con- 
 fidering the great Degeneracy of Piety and Goodnefs a- 
 mong us, the general Contagion of bad Examples, 
 and the litde Care that is taken by moft Parents in the 
 Education of Children ; and confidering further how 
 intent the greateft Part of Mankind are upon the Cares 
 and Bufinefles of Life, and the Pleafiires and Diver- 
 fions of it ; I fay, confidering thefe things ; what 
 Senfe do we think Men would have of God, and 
 what Notion of Religion, if it were not for this pious 
 and holy Inftitution ? The great Foundation of Re- 
 ligion, is the Contemplation of God and his Perfedi- 
 ons, the meditating upon Eternity, and the Reflexion 
 upon the Important Concernments of the Life to come. 
 Thefe Things are often called by Divines the Food of 
 the Soul ; and (as fhall be fully fhewn here after J are as 
 indifpenfably required to fupport the Spiritual and Di- 
 vine Life in us, as Meat and Drink are to fupport the 
 Natural and Animal Life : infomuch that if a Man 
 had the largeft Underftanding and moft fublime Know- 
 ledge which could reach to the utmoft Extent of Na- 
 ture ; it would not yet adminifter the leaft Benefit and 
 Advantage to his Soul, unlefs it was applied to aferious 
 and frequent Meditation on thefe Subjedls. For it is 
 not the bare Belief of the Being of God, and the Ac- 
 knowledgment of a Fur ire State of Rewards and Pu- 
 niiliments, that render Men truly Pious and Religious ; 
 fince we often obferve Men to be very difiblute and 
 fiagitious in their Lives and Manners, who yet con- 
 ftandy profefs the Belief of thefe great Truths ; and 
 who are fo far from juftifying themfelvej in therr 
 
 Wicke.dnefsy 
 
Religious Ohjetvation df the Lord's Day. 79} 
 
 "tVickednefs, that they own it is a Matter of continual 
 Uneafinefs and Vexation to them. But that which 
 prevails upon Mankind to the Pradtice of Piety and 
 Virtue is the due weighing thefe great Truths in their 
 Minds, and ferioufly and frequently attending to the 
 Nature and Gonfequences of them. The true Reafon 
 why .the Generality of Men are fo profane- and wicked^ 
 is not becaufe they are Atheills and Infidels (for it 
 v/ould be very falle as well as uncharitable to pafs 
 That Judgment on them) but it is, becaufe they will 
 not allow themfelves Time ferioufly to refledt uport 
 the Nature and Evidence of Religion, and the mife- 
 rable Confequenees of Sin and Wickedneis ; and be-= 
 ciauie, fo ufe the Words of the Prophet, T^hd" the Ox 
 knoweth his Owner ^ and the Afs his Mafter^s Crib^ yet 
 Ifrael doth not know^ my People doth not conftder, Ifaiah i^ 
 2. Since then Religion cannot poflibly be prefer ved 
 m the Minds of Men, without a due Contemplation^ 
 upon God and a Future State, it is abfolutely necefFary 
 to fupport that Contemplation in the Generality of 
 Mankind, who are ever engaged in the Cares and 
 Pleafures of Life ; that Ibme Public Times be ap- 
 pointed for the Service and Worfhip of God, and for 
 a more than ordinary Meditation upon Divine Things. 
 For this, if duly and carefully obferved, naturally 
 tends to revive a Senfe of God and His Perfections y 
 and a future State of Rewards and Punifhments upon 
 the Minds of Men (e). This the greateil Politici-^ 
 ans of the World, and even Atheijis themfelves have 
 frequently acknowledged •, and becaufe they are {tn- 
 fible that Religion is abfolutely neceflary to the Be- 
 ing and Happinefs of any Common- wealth, they have 
 therefore always took Care to provide for that, by a 
 jfolemn Appointment of public Feftitals' (/). Since 
 
 then: 
 
 . (e) Vid. Dr Marfhall's Sermon, Vol. I. p. 269, 270-, VoMI 
 
 p. 5'<5. 
 
 (/) f^i(^* Hobbs's Leviathan, chaf: xii. 
 
So A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 then, this is the Nature and Condition of Mankind ; 
 it is very clear and evident, that if it were not for 
 the Obfervation of the Lord's Bay, and the Attendance 
 upon the public Worfiiip, and the hearing the Word of 
 God at that Time ; the fmall Remains of Piety and 
 Religion that are left among us would loon be loflj 
 and we Ihould in a few Years degenerate into a State 
 of Heathen Bzvb^rity and Ignorance ( g ). It is there 
 
 fore 
 
 (g) Inrumerahle Pnjfages might be produced out of our beft 
 "Divines to coijirm the Truth of this Obfervation y but Ifhall at 
 frefent only mention One out of the mo ft Learned Dean Prideaux 
 tvhich if very remarkable- The Doftrines of our Holy Religion 
 (laithhe), having in them the fublimeft Principles of Divine Know- 
 ledge, and the Precepts of it containirg all the Duties of Morality, in 
 the highefl: Manner improved ; nothing can be of greater Advantage 
 to us for the Icadirg of us to the truell Happinefs we are capable of 
 as well in this Life, as in that which is to come, than to have thefe 
 fveekly taught and explained unto us, and weekly put home 
 upon our Confciences, for the forming of our Lives according to 
 them. And the Political State or Civil Government of every 
 Chrijiian Country is no lefs ber.efited hereby, than the Church 
 itfelf. For as it bell conduceth to keep up the Spirit of Religion 
 among us, and to make every Man know his Duty to God, his 
 Neighbour, and himfelf ; fo it may be reckoned of all Methods 
 the moll conducive topreferve Peace and good Order in the State. 
 For hereby Subje6ls are taught to be obedient to the Prince and 
 his Laws, Children to be dutiful to their Parents, Servants to be 
 faithful to their Mailers, and all lo be jull and charitable, and to pay 
 all other Duties which in every Relation they owe to each other; 
 and in the faithful Difcharge of thefe Duties doth the Peace and 
 good Order and Happinefs of every Community confift. And to 
 he weekly inilruded in thefe Duties, and to be weekly excited to 
 the Obedience of them, is certainly the propereft and the mofl 
 efi"e£lual Method to induce Men hereto. And it may juftly be 
 reckoned that the good Order which is now maintained in this 
 Kingdom, is more owing to this Method, than to any other now 
 in Practice among us for this End ; and that one good Minifter 
 by his weekly Preaching and duly good Example, fcts it 
 more forward than any two of the beft Juftices of the Peace 
 can, by their exadeft Diligence in the Execution of the Laws 
 which they are entrufted with. For thefe by the utmcll of 
 their Coercions can go no farther, than to reftrain the outward 
 
 Aas 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 8 1 
 
 fore a very great Sin for any Man to negledl the 
 Obfervation of this Holy Day, and a much 
 greater to defpife and run it down -, fince it is the 
 bed Means under Heaven of making Men foberly 
 and ferioufly Religious, and fmce the Generality 
 of Mankind have fcarce any other Opportunity of 
 Thinking to any good Purpofe on the great Af- 
 fair of another Life, and tranfading the important 
 Concern of their Salvation. 
 
 Secondly^ The Religious Obfervation of the Lord's 
 Bay is the fureft Method which can be ufed, to 
 engage the Divine Protedlion and BlelTing upon all 
 our Endeavours. For the Service and Worihip of 
 God is. the befr Means we can take to procure His 
 Favour. This the Holy Scriptures have ailurcd us 
 of, in innum.erable Places. Thus fays the Apoflle, 
 ^he Eyes of the L(n'd are over the Righteous^ and 
 ITis Ears are open unto their Prayers, i Pet. iii. 12. 
 And our BleiTed Saviour hath let us know that if 
 we ajk^ it fhall he given to us \ if we feek we fiall 
 fuid j f we knocks it fjall he opened unto us. Matt, 
 vii. 7. And further that God Vs^ill give that befl 
 of Gif S5 the Holy Spirit to them that afi Him. Luke 
 xi. 13. And once more, for the Encouragement 
 G cf 
 
 A£l£ of Wickednefs; but the other reforms the Heart within, 
 and removes all thofe evil Inclinations out of it, from whence 
 they fiow. And it is not to be doubted, but that if this Me- 
 thod were once dropped among us, the Generality of the Peo- 
 ple, whatever elfe may be done to obviate it, would in feven 
 Years Time relapfe into as bad a State of Barbarity, as was 
 ever in praflife among the word of our Saxon or Danifh An- 
 ceftors. And therefore, fuppofing there were no fuch Thing m 
 Truth and Reality, as that Holy Chrlfiian Rebgion which the 
 Miniftcrs of the Gofpel teach (as too many among us are now 
 permitted with Impunity to fay) yet the Service which they 
 do the Civil Government, in keeping all Men to thofe Duties, 
 in the Obfervance of which it's Peace, good Order, and Hap- 
 PJnefs confifts, may very well deferve the Maintonar.ee whi.h 
 ffiey receive from it. Dr Piidc:iuxV Corncxion i^rv. TqL IL 
 p. 561, 56;. Suj Akko Cute Chrflum 4^4, 
 
82 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 of Prayer and Devotion, our BlefTed Saviour hath 
 told us in a diftindl Parable, Luke xviii, how 
 effedual our Addreffes to God will be, if they 
 are offered up to Him, with due Faith and Fer- 
 vency. If then this be fo ; if there be, fo much 
 Good to be expedted from the private Exercife of 
 Piety and Devotion ; and if where two or three are 
 gathered together in the Name of Chrifij there will He 
 be in the midft of them ; Matt, xviii. 20. What 
 BlefTing may we not exped from, the united Prayers 
 of whole Congregations {Jo) ? provided indeed, that 
 we did offer them up to God with that Fervour 
 and Zeal which ought always to accompany them ; 
 and v/ould bring ourfelves off from that Deadnefs 
 and Coldnefs, not to fay that indecent and ridicu- 
 lous Behaviour, which is oftentimes too vifible in our 
 Devotions. So that this is one great Advantage 
 of obferving the Lord's Bay^ that befides the Be- 
 nefit of hearing God's Word, which I fhall con- 
 fider prefently, we have hereby a conffant Oppor- 
 tunity every Week of affembling ourfelves together 
 and begging the Divine Protedion and Bleffing j 
 v/hich, if our Petitions are hearty and fervent, 
 and our Lives and Converfations fuitable thereto, 
 God will not fail to pour down upon us in great 
 Abundance. For as a Learned Divine (i) well ex- 
 preffes it, Ttje Hearer of Prayer is God's favourite Cha- 
 radler, when He can hear it with Honour, and 
 without Difparagement to His Laws. 
 
 thirdly. Another great Benefit and Advantage of 
 a Religious Obfervation of the Lord*s Day, is this, 
 viz. that it does in a great Meafure promote the 
 Intereft and Happinefs of Human Society, as it is 
 the Means of inftruding all Orders and Degrees 
 
 of 
 
 (b) Fid. Bijhop Eeveridge en the Neceirit7 and Advantage 
 of Public Prayer p. 3?, 34, 
 
 (i) Or MarDiairi "Sermons Vol, I. p. 238. 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord's Day. 83 
 
 of Men among us, in the feveral Refpedlive Parts 
 of Chrlftian Duty. For One main Part of the Duty 
 of the Day confifts in the Hearing of God's Holy 
 Word, which is duly and conftantly preached to 
 the People. And that Men might receive the greater 
 Benefit from this Inftitution, it hath pleafed God 
 in His great WifJom, to fet apart a Peculiar Order 
 of Men to this Office and Employment ♦, fo that by 
 This, all Perfons may learn the Duty which they 
 owe to God, and how they ought to behave then> 
 felves one towards another, whatfoever Condition 
 or Relation they are in : whether they be^ Huf- 
 bands or Wives, Parents or Children, Magiftrates 
 or Sabjea:s, Maflers or Servants, or common Bre- 
 thren one to another. Each of thefe Relations hath 
 it's Peculiar Dudes, which all Perfons concerned in 
 them are obliged to perform. -, and for which they 
 muil give a itria: Account to Ahmighty God, at 
 the kit Day. Now confidering how much the 
 Peace and Happinefs of Human Society in general, 
 and that of every Neighbourhood and Family in 
 particular, depends upon the Practice of thef- Rela- 
 tive Duties ', and confidering farther how little 
 Leifure the Generality of Mankind v/ill allow them- 
 felves from' the Cares and Diverfions of Life, to 
 think feriouQy on fach Things : It muil certainly 
 be allowed to be a very wife and beneficial Inili- 
 tution, which tends to inculcate thefe and all other 
 Moral Duties upon Men, and by ail proper Argu- 
 •ments and Mouves to excite and ftir them up to 
 the Obfervadon of them. And therefore as an E- 
 minent (k) Writer well obferves, " if keeping holy 
 "' the Seventh Day, were only an hujnan Iniiitution, 
 *' it would be the heft Method that could have 
 *' been thouzht of for the polifhing and civilizing 
 
 G 2 '* of 
 
 (4) Mr Addifon in Speaator N° i 1 2. 
 
84 -^ Difcoiif'fe cojicernuig the 
 
 " of Mankind " And whatever fome Perfonsmay 
 think of their own Knowledge and felf Sufficiency ; 
 yet it is to this excellent Ordinance of jmhlic Preach- 
 ing that *' t'a't Right and Worthy Notions of 
 *' God, and His Divine Pcrfeddons, the jufl Senfe 
 *' and Underilanding of the great Duties of Reli- 
 " gion, and the univerfal Belief and due Appre- 
 " henfion of a future State of Rewards and Punifh- 
 " ments; v/hich the Generality even of the meaner 
 *' and more ignorant Sort of People are nov/ 
 " poflclTed of, is manifeftly and undeniably almost 
 *' wholly owdng -/'as a Learned Divine of our Church 
 well obferves (/). 
 
 R'urthly^ and Laftly^ The L/aft Thing which I 
 fhall niention at prefent, as a great Benefit and 
 ALdvantage of a Religious Obfervation of the Lord's 
 D.v;\, is thQ exceeding Ufefulnefs of it to every Par- 
 ticular Perfon, in the great Concernment of his 
 Eternal Salvation, For by this Means every par- 
 ticular Perfon has a conilant Opportunity every 
 "Week of repairing to God's Church, and joining 
 in the devout Prayers and Offices thereof. ,^nd 
 hov/ great a Bleffing this is, m.ay eafily be judged 
 not only from the apparent Intereft and Advantage 
 thereof, but alfo from the exquifite Delight and 
 Satishcfiion which confhantly attends it. This the 
 pious and good Men in all Ages of the World 
 have univerlally acknowledged •, and efteemed this 
 inthnate Communion with God as the moft pleafaftt 
 and deUghtfid of all Enjoyments. Hear how pathetic 
 the Words of Holy D^-^'ir/ are, upon Account of his 
 Abfence and Baniiliment h-om the Sanctuary. how 
 a?mahle are ^loy Tabernacles^ ^hou Lord of Hojls, My 
 Soul hngeth^ yea even fuintetb for the Courts of the 
 Lord, my Heart a^J my Flejh crieth out for the Living 
 
 God, 
 
 (I) Dr S. Clm-he'-. Sermons at Boyli^s Leaures, Vol. fl. 
 Prop. 5. '^uult. Si's rJfo Prop. 7. §. 3. where there are man^ 
 
 ufcfi;] Cbicrv:.t:ons 10 this Purpofe. 
 
Religious Obfervatlon of the Lord's Day. 85- 
 God, For one Bay in "Thy Courts is better than 
 a ihoufand, I had ratlyer' he a Door-keeper in the 
 Houfe of my God, than to d^j^ell in the Tents of Wicked- 
 7iefs. Pfalm lxxxi\^. From which we may juitly 
 affirm, that when Men can contentedly abfent them- 
 felves from the Church of God, or if they come 
 thither, are cold and indifi^rent in the Offices there- 
 of ; it is a fure Sign that they have not the true 
 Spirit of Piety and "Religion in them, and have-not 
 yet tailed of diat heavenly Delight and Pleaflire, 
 Y/hich refults from the Life and Yigcur of Devo- 
 tion. Bat, Secondly, This is not all. For in the 
 next Place, every Perfon by obferving the Lord's 
 Day, hath the Benefit of hearing One or Two Godly 
 Sermons in a Week, in which the Senfe of Scrip- 
 ture is explained, and generally fpeaking, fome Pra- 
 aical Point of Religion opened and enlarged upon. 
 By v^^hich means, if he makes a Confcience ^ ot at- 
 tending conftantly upon the Church, and docs his 
 ■bed Endeavours to remember and meditate upon 
 what he has heard •, if together with this he prays 
 to God for his Grace to enable him to miake a right 
 Ufe and Application of it ; he cannot well be ig- 
 norant in any EiTential Part of Chriftian Duty. Nay 
 he will by this Means in a litde Time, if he con- 
 ftandy joins the Reading of the Holy Scriptures with 
 it, attain to great Perle6tion in Divine Wifd^m; 
 and as iar as true fcwing Knowledge goes, he wrll 
 be a much better Scholar, than many who have iludi- 
 ,ed hard for Years together, and carry a whole 
 Library along with them in their Heads : it being 
 not the Extent of Knowledge in which the Divine 
 Life confifts, but the devout Application of it to 
 <jur fpiritual State and Condition. But "fhirdly, and 
 ■laftly. The Man I am now fpeaking of, may 
 lliil reap this farther Advantage liom a con- 
 ilant P^ciigious Obfsrvation of the Lord's Day, viz, 
 
 Q '2 That 
 
S6 A Difcoiirje concerning the 
 
 That he has thereby a glormis Opportunity at leaft 
 once in a Week cf retiring from the World \ and 
 when the Time of Divine Service is over, of re- 
 flefting v/ithin himfelf, and of meditating upon Eter- 
 nity, and txhe v/cighty Concernments of the Life to 
 come. This is a BlefTing which many fenfible Men 
 who have been unavoidably engaged in the Kurry 
 and Eufmefs of this World have defired and lowed 
 for With the utm.oiL Impatience ; and when the 
 hajfy Opportunity was come, have paid dcv/n a 
 great Price for the Purchafe of it. For the Sake of 
 Retiremient many Princes have refign'd their Crov/ns, 
 and betook themfelves to a private Life {m). And 
 indeed Jet the Men of the World lay what they 
 will of Delight and Plealure, there is- no Pleafure 
 on this fide Heaven (excepting that of doing Good,) 
 that comes any thing near to that of Contem.plation 
 (n) \ and no wonder, vv^hen the Happincfs of Hea- 
 ven itfelf does in a great Meafure confift therein. 
 All the Pleafures of %tTi{t are Jhcrt-liv'd and f aiding 
 and foon become nafcoiis and ungrateful to us •, but 
 the Pleafure of Divine Wifdom which is the Refultof 
 due Contemplation is continual) y^rcix'f;/^ and encreafing^ 
 and the more we have thereof, the more we fhall 
 ever wifh for and defire. For this is the Cha- 
 railer and Defcripdon which Wifdom gives of her 
 felf, Eccluf. xxiv. 2 1 . they that eat 7ne JJoall yet he 
 hungry^ and they that drink me Jh all yet he thirfty. And 
 indeed for a Man to retire from the Noife and Hur- 
 ry of this World, to look into Flimfelf, and exa- 
 
 amine 
 
 (fn) Vid. Echard'sHift. of England, Vol. I. p. 63. ^ 
 f(p' tjO'^ ey.oicouc ri '^ Totifjjr,i? SrscJVi'a? i/Wp^fi. '^d* J'' ct/O^t&v 
 
 ^«W ««/'»J^ ivS'eUlJ.OVtt i'JClS'n isJ^Jl^S KOtUeO'/H ^SWe/it?. 5®' 0(TOV 
 
 /« Jjccleiv&i )i Siae'ct y^ » iuXcuuoy'itt. x^ mi p.a>}.ov vTc/'py^ei 
 ro S-scypt^i/, it) zilcf'cuy.oi'i^Ui ki i(J^ ai'iJ.dCny.ht ctwci yj^ rlw -^tco' 
 
 Afiilot. Ethico ad NIcqci. lib.'x. cap. viii. Fid. Icf, 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 87 
 
 mine his Heart, and to redlify every Thing there 
 j;hat is amifs, 'till he brings himfelf to his jufl Per- 
 fedlion ; and particularly to think upon God the 
 Great Creator of all Things, to confider the Glory 
 of His Works (0), the VV iidc m of His Providence, 
 and His infirite Love to Mankind in the Redemp- 
 tion of the World by the Death of His Son : This 
 I fay, is not only a neceiTary Duty which God re- 
 quires of every Man, but is moreover fuch a 
 Happinefs, as the greateft Pleafures of Senfe are ne- 
 ver to be compared with. And yet this great Hap- 
 pinefs is what the meanefl- Perfons among us m.ay 
 frequently enjoy, if they will but apply the Lord's 
 Day to this excellent Purpofe. But however Men 
 may judge in this Cafe, and in what Thix^gs foever 
 they place their chief Happinefs ; it is very certain, 
 (as Ihall be fully fhewn in the Sequel) that with- 
 out a due and frequent Meditation on Divine Things, it 
 is impojjtble for a Man to become truly Religious. He 
 may, I grant, do many good Things in Religion, 
 and yet be far from being a good Man and fuch 
 as God will accept. He may, I fay, do many 
 good Things in Religion, thro' Cuftoin^ Example^ 
 and Education^ when he is no ways inclined to do 
 the contrary. But he will never bear up againft the 
 Stream of Nature in fuch Cafes where he is violent- 
 ly attacked ; neither will he be ever able to with- 
 fband the Power o{ ftrong and extraordinary Temp- 
 tations. Peter thought he was fecure of His Fi- 
 delity to his Great Lord and Matter. Tho' I Jhould 
 die with Thee^ faith he, / will not deny l^hee in any 
 
 wife. 
 
 jL) ^A^MK^i^^ctv, i^ 0-v/J.^s-jvoy J'if^AJ'6'jylutj 7» ^vVw. Ari'ian. 
 in Epitlet. lib, i. .cap. vi. 
 
88 A Difcoiirfe concernhig the 
 
 Wife. Mark xviv. 31. But for want of Dependance 
 upon God and meditating upon the Point, he came 
 off fliamefully and denied his Mailer. And juft 
 fo will all Men do in the like Cafes, if they do 
 not maintain a Communion with God by devout 
 Prayer and frequent Meditation. Whofoever there- 
 fore would be a Chrifiian indeed, and defires to ap- 
 prove himfelf, to the Righteous Judgment of God, 
 mud make a Confcience of hearing His Word, and 
 obferving the Sabbath •, He muft frequently pray to 
 God for His Grace and AflKfance •, he muff when 
 he hath Opportunity, read the Holy Scriptures and 
 other good Books, and efpecially upon the Lord's 
 Day *, he muft often and particularly at that Time, 
 retire from the World, and meditate upon Eter- 
 nity. This will fecure him againit the Power of 
 Temptations, and keep his Mind in it's true Pof- 
 ture and Condition. And this is one of the great Bene- 
 fits and Advantages which arife from a Pious and 
 ReligiousObfervation of the Lord's Day •, which together 
 with the others I have mentioned, Ihould one would 
 think be fufficient to prevail upon all Men to a 
 due and conllant Obfervation thereof. 
 
 7he Efid of the Fir ft Fart. 
 
 P A R 1^ 
 
PART II. 
 
 Concem'tng the Manner in which the 
 Lord's Day 2s to be observed. 
 
 The Introduction. 
 
 A V I N G in the former Part of this 
 Difcourfe fhewn the Obligation of ob- 
 ferving the Sabbath Day, and likewife 
 upon what Accounts the Day was chang- 
 ed from the Jeventh to the firft Day of 
 the Week, together with the great Be- 
 nefits and Advantages of a Pious and Religious Ob- 
 fervation of the Lord's Bay ; I proceed now to confi- 
 der the Particular Manner in which this Holy Day 
 ought to be obferved by all Chriftians. And this I 
 Ilia 11 endeavour to do thefe two Ways. 
 
 Firft, From the Nature and Reafon of the Thing 
 itfelf, and the plain Teftimony of Holy Scrip- 
 ture. And, 
 
 Secondly, From the Senfe and Judgment of thofe 
 Perfons who mult be allowed to be the beft and 
 pioft competent Judges in this Matter. And, 
 
 Ftrfty 
 
90 INTRODUCriON. 
 
 Firft^ From the Nature and Reafon of the Thing 
 itfelf, and the plain Teflimony of Holy Scripture. 
 Now I having fhewn in the firft Chapter of this Book, 
 that the due Obfervation of the feventh Day does im- 
 ply not only the Refc from Bodily Labour, but alfo 
 the Dedication of it to the Worfhip and Service of 
 God, and to the Duties of Religion ; it will hence be 
 no difficult Matter to obferve the particular Manner in 
 which the Lord's Bay ought to be kept and celebrated 
 by us. The Religious Obfervation of the hordes Day 
 then does at leaft imply thcfe five Things, Firfl^ A 
 diligent and conftant Attendance upon the Public Wor- 
 ihip of God and the Preaching of His Word, at the 
 Hated Times and Seafons thereof. 
 
 Secondly^ The Reading of the Holy Scriptures, and 
 other good Books. 
 
 'Thirdly^ A due and ferious Meditation upon Divine 
 Things. 
 
 Fourthly^ A diligent and careful Examination of 
 our Lives and Adtions. And, 
 
 In the Fifth and laft Place^ The Religious Inftrudlion 
 and Education of our Children and Families. Of 
 thefe in their Order. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
A Difcourfe concerning 6cc. 
 
 9t 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Concerning the Duty of attending upon the Pub^ 
 lie Worjhip^ &c. 
 
 HAT God is to be worfhipped in a 
 Public Manner I have already briefly 
 hinted in the Introdudlion to the firft 
 Part-, wherein I have fhewn at large, that 
 He hath appointed a Particular Day in 
 every Week for the due Celebration of 
 that Worfhip. And this is a Truth fo clear and evident 
 that the very Heathens themfelves in their mod corrupt 
 and degenerate State were always duly fenfible of it. 
 And indeed it is fo plainly founded in Natural Reafon, 
 that if it were not for the ftrange Notions of too many 
 Perfons among us, and the grofs and Jhameful Negled 
 of others in this Particular, it would feem unnecefTary 
 and impertinent to treat upon it. But the unhappy Dif- 
 tinciion that has been made of late Years between Mo- 
 rality and B^eligion, and the pernicious Do(ftrine of fome 
 Men, who have refolved all Religion into the Praclife 
 of moral and focial Duties, hath had fuch a fatal In- 
 fluence upon many Perfons -, that it becomes abfolute- 
 ly neceflary to fpeak fully and diftindly to this Point. 
 In order therefore to manifeft the great and indifpenfahle 
 Puty of attending upon the pihlic Worfliip of God at 
 
 the 
 
^t A Dijcourfe concerjiing the 
 
 the ilated Times and Seafons thereof, I fhall endea- 
 vour to Ihew thefe three Things. 
 
 Firfi^ That the Public Worfhip and Service of God 
 hath in all Ages of the World been tbcmght necelTary 
 to Religion, and by all wife Law-givers and Founders 
 of Sta'LCs hath been made an EfTential Part of their 
 Civil Conftitution. 
 
 Secondly ^ I fhali iliewthat God hath made an exprefs 
 and particular Provifion in Holy Scripture for His 
 Public Worfliip and Service. And 
 
 Ttoirdly and lajlly. That the Pradtife of Morality or a 
 ^o^d Life Cas fome Men (p) call it) will not without 
 ttie Public Worihip and Service of God be available 
 to Salvation. 
 
 If thefe three Poincs can be clearly made out, I think 
 nothing more can be required to fliew the ahfohte necef- 
 fary Duty of attending upon the Public Worihip and 
 Service of God. And with the Favour and Candour 
 of the Reader, I do not doubt to make them ail three 
 very plain and evident. And, 
 
 Firft^ I iliall fhew that the public Worihip and 
 Service of God hath in all Ages of the World 
 been thought ncceffary to Religion ( ^^. If we look 
 
 into 
 
 (p) A State of Temperance, Sobriety, and Juftice, without 
 Pevotion is a cold, lifelefs, infipid Condition of Virtue, and is 
 rather to be fliled Phi/o/opby than Religion. Mr Addijon in Spe- 
 \aator, N° 20 1. 
 
 With all who have a right Underflanding of the Law of Nature, 
 Acknowledgment of the one True and Living God, a fuitable Ve- 
 neration of Kim, Devotion to Him, and Concern that He have 
 His due Honour from us and our Fellow Creatures ; and that His 
 Sovereign Authority crv-er all His Rational Creatures, and Right to 
 rule them, as to His unerring Reafon Ihall feem meet, be owned 
 by all J will pafs for the hlgbejl and mofi: important Points of Mo- 
 rality and Branches of the Law of Nature. Pinion Brownh De- 
 fenfe of the Religion of 'Nature^ Sec. chap. ii. p. 66. 
 
 [q) Can we think our Saviour's Meaning (on that Text Mait. 
 y\. 6. tvheti thou prayeji enter into thy Clofet\ to be this, that 
 tiie Difciples fhou'd never pr?y but in their Clofets ? No cevtjinly ; 
 
 for 
 
Religious Ohfefdation of the Lord's Day. 93 
 
 into the Writings of the ancient Philofophers we 
 fhall find them to be of the fame Mind and Judg- 
 ment in this Matter. They ever made the public 
 Worfhip of their Gods a material and necejjary Part 
 of their Religion. Thus fays 'Pythagoras: In the Firfi 
 place. Honour and Reverence the Immortal Gods 
 \r). The Reafon of which is given us by the Com- 
 m.entator upon him, becaufe Fiery, or the Worlhip 
 of God is the Principal and Foundation of all Vir- 
 tues (s). And Plato (t)^ Cicero {11) Ev'itletus {x), arx.1 
 others of the moft Eminent Philofophers, are con- 
 tinually exhorting Mankind to Serve and Worfhip 
 the Gods, according to the Laws of their Country ; 
 of which m.any PaiTages might be produced out of 
 
 them 
 
 for it is a Precept of Natural Religion that God is to be worfliipped 
 in the Societies of Men. Dr ClagettV Poflhumous Sermons^ Vol. II. 
 p. 7. 
 
 I believe we may challenge all the Hiftories in the World 
 of any Credit to Name any Civilized People where there 
 was not always fome Form or other of Religious Worfliip, 
 fome public Place or other, either Tempk or Grove, or Moun- 
 • tain, or Altar ufed and appointed for the Pcrfonr.ance of it. 
 Bijhop Leng'j Sermons at Boyle' j- Lectures p. loS. Vid p. 334, 
 365. 
 
 (r) Aur. Car 771. I, 2. 
 
 (s)Hierocl. in loc. 
 
 [t) np&TTOt/ iM <^JiiJ.h 711J.CL4 7dL; y.ZT omutU^ Ti '9 "Tg^ 
 ^ 'pro?Jv i-\^o'/]a.i Qi^i,7o7i Xfloj^ic/f, av rU -^ioli Apr.ct '^^'i^'-v- 
 1-^. iy d^i^i^i viy.^Vf op9oT:iV 1^ ^ ii(7iCiicii (Ty.oyr'i ^llyX'^^^^' 
 —-^ Me7<^ '^s«^ cT' rif J^f» iy tqI<; cTctf^ocr/i/ o>' iy^z^m o^ytd- 
 C,Qtr^ civ. — )c.'7rdi)toK'6^ii J^' (£\P,Oi( i^fvy.'ji\:i. 'jJ^/;t TTcD^^uii,:}? 
 fisaTj/ ;(Ti ^ouov o[-}ieL^QiJLiva.. PUto de Legib. lib. iv. 
 
 {u) Suofque Deos aut ?2cvos aut alic/iigenas coli^ coTifafionem halet 
 religionutn^ (^ ignotas ceremor.ias etia77i facerdctibus. ^rtTTi a Pa- 
 tribus acceptos Deos it a placet coli., fi biJif Legi pGrueru7it ip/i. 
 Cicero de Legih. lib. ii. Jajn ill id ex Infiittitis Pontifici^m' & 
 J^rufpicum J.on mutandum efl^ cuilus bo/iiis im7r.slandii??i cidiKe Deo, 
 Id. ibid. J ^ J 
 
 ^Ws) ly^Vo/^ 'Trpocrfiyuci' Epidlct. Enchirid. cap, xxxviii.' ^iG:-7iod» 
 Jint^Dii colendi folct pracipi. Scncc. Epifl. 95. "^^cLvJ.Tsi ^ 
 vfWTu. 0(W?, voy.&) ^^^id}i^;ylcA{) &:. Vid, Marcllii Ccm?nert, i.'i loc* 
 
94 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 them if it were neceffary. And it is no Objedion 
 at all to this that we fometimes meet with Paf- 
 fages in the old Heathen Moraliits, which import 
 that the heft and mofl acceptable Worfhip of God 
 is a pure Heart and Mind, and the endeavouring 
 to imitate Him in His Moral Excellencies and 
 Perfe6lions {y). For this is no more than what 
 the beft Chriflian Writers themfelves frequently lay, 
 who yet earneflly contend for the Neceffity of 
 fuch Worfhip (z). Nay we find God Almighty 
 
 Himfelf 
 
 ( y) Cultus Deorum eft optimus idemque caftifiimusatqne fanftif- 
 fimus, plc^.iffimufque Pietatis, ut Eos femper pura integra incorrupta, 
 & Mente k voce veneremur. Cic. de Nat. Deorum^ lib. ii. Vis 
 Beos propitiare ? bonus eflo : Satis libs coluir, quiiquis imitatus 
 eft. Senec. Epiji. 95. 
 
 Colitur autem, noti taurorum opimis corporibus contrucidatis,nec 
 auro argen'oque fufpenfo, nee in Thefauros ftipe infafa, fed pia & 
 redla voluntate. Idem Epiji. 115. 
 
 Nee Bove maBato Ccclejlid numina gaudent^ 
 
 Sed, qus praftanda eji^ &f,r,e Tefte, Fide. Ovid Epift. 20* 
 
 Compofttum jus fafque anlml, SavSfofque rtcejfus 
 Mentis ^ incohum generofo peHus honeflo. 
 Hocce do ut admoveam iemplis, ^ far re litalo. 
 
 Perl". Satyr. 2. in fine, 
 
 Jfnmunis aram ft tetigit Marcus 
 Non jumptuGfa b I and i or kojlia^ 
 Mollibit averfos Penates 
 Farre^ pio ^faliente Mica. 
 
 Herat. Carm. lib. Hi. Od. 2'^. 
 
 TdL '7:>cif ^.nJ.v'n 'f/j'aixivQ- coi yd^ (ftcLd iv 0/ Tlvijetyopeio/, Tt- 
 
 HierocL in Carm. Pythag. />. 24 25. -ru n • 
 
 {^.) A virtuous and zood Life is better not only than Jcwilh Kites 
 4ind Ceremonies, but better even than the beji ff any other Worjkip 
 that is paid to God either in Earth or in Heaven. Nevertbelejs a: 
 the one ought above all Things to be done, fo the other ought not by 
 any Means to be 'eft undone. Dr Clarke's Sermons Fol. IX. p. 43?- 
 ^eealfo, Tillotfoii's Works /// >//^, /W. //. /• 34^« 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 9^ 
 
 Himfelf often fpeaking in the fame Manner in 
 the Holy Scriptures. Thus Mic, vi. 6. &:c. Where- 
 with jhall I come before the Lord and how myfelf before 
 the High God ? Shall I tome before him with burnt Offer- 
 ings^ with Calves of a Tear old ? &c. He hath fJjswed 
 thee Man what is good ; and what doth theLord require 
 of thee, but to do juflly and to love Mercy ^ and to walk 
 humbly with thy God ? And again to what Purpofe is the 
 Multitude of your Sacrifices unto me?, faith the Lord, 
 When ye cofne to appear before Me, who hath required 
 this at your Hands to tread my Courts ? bring no more vain 
 Oblations, Inceyife is an Abommation to me \ the New 
 Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Affemblies I cannot away 
 tvith ', it is Iniquity, even the foleran Meeting, &c. Ifa. 
 i, II. iSc. See alfo chap, Ixvi. 3. Now it would be 
 the higheft Abfurdity imaginable to fuppole, that God 
 fhould be difpleafed with the Jews for their Perform- 
 ance of the External Rites and Sacrifices of their Wor- 
 fhip, or that He fhould not require their Attendance 
 upon thefe Things •, when He Himfelf had exprefsly 
 inftituted and appointed them {a). But the plain Mean- 
 ing of thofe Places of Scripture is this -, that God pre- 
 fers the great Duties of Piety, Juitice and Charity be- 
 fore any External Rites and Inftitutions of His Wor- 
 fhip, and that He has no regard to fach External Ser- 
 vices when they are offered up by Men of impure 
 Hearts and (b) wicked Lives •, by Men whofe Hands are 
 fidl of Blood, and who are guilty of IJncharirabie- 
 nefs and Oppreffion, as the Prophet obferves in the 
 
 FafTages above cited. 
 
 And 
 
 (a) Neomenias vej!r/is C^ Sabhata & dies fejlos z'cftros odlt adms 
 weay Hie quidcm ubi de Muneribus mandatur, ubi adhuc nulla 
 peccata fant, diss fe'ios meos dicit ; ubi aiitem pcccatum eil:, non 
 mtos fed vejlioi dies dicit Dominus. Orig. in Numer. cap. xxz'iii, 
 Horn. 23. 
 
 (b) See this Matter very clearly and ;tidicisujlj ftated in Scrip- 
 tureVindicated Part IIL t'll' ^^4^-/. ^7 to"]!. 
 
96 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 And the lame Judgment is to be pafled upon 
 the ancient Moralifts. They only fignilied that true 
 Piety and Charity v/ere m.ore valuable in the Sight 
 of God, than the External Rites and Inftitudons cf 
 Religion. " But they did not mean hereby to exclude 
 the Neceffity of External Worfhip ; fince they had 
 fo well provided for that by many ex^refs Precepts 
 (V). And if in fome few Places of their Wridngs 
 v/e find them fpeaking fl^ghtly of External Rites and 
 Sacrifices -, this v/as not, becaufe they dilapproved of 
 fuch Things in Divine Worfnip {d)^ but becaufe 
 the Gentile Rites and Sacrifices v/ere almcfl every 
 where crowded with infinite Superftitions, and in 
 many Places mixed with fo much Filthinefs and Im- 
 purity^ as wou'd juftly render them the Abhorrence 
 of all wife, and good Men (<?). 
 
 Nay fo great a Regard had the ancient Pagans 
 
 to the Public Worfhip of their Gods, that they fell 
 
 Into an Extreme and Fatal Errour in this Matter. 
 
 For the Heathen Prieils taught no Morality in their 
 
 Affemblics, but foent the Whole Time of their Public 
 
 Service 
 
 (r) Fid. p. 109. ''Otclv >^'p u,^ lyf^rct euVfiw? 2;^/ 'l) Tcl^iuu 
 
 ^tCtyVCOiMVy TOTS }t) kTTO/jSpVi T<S v'ouM TTIV TifJ-^JJJ AVTOli 
 
 diroS^ccuoo^U. — E57 jTi T<C'V ouVei xp^rilToys^v TrpcJri^©- K^alei^Q- 
 
 Hierocl. ibid, p, 38. Vid. eiiam Simpiicii Comment, in Epiciet. 
 cap. xxxz-iii. 
 
 [d) Audiat licet, que;nadmodum fe gcrere in Sacrificiis debea*-, 
 quam procul rcfifire a molcftis fupcniitionibus ; nunquam fatis pro • 
 ledum' erit, nifiqualem debet, D^um, mentcconceperit, err. Se?fec, 
 £fi/t. 95. See alfo Epiflet. Eiichirid cap. xxxviii. IVhere thd" ];e 
 fulb) jhews that the chief and principal Fart of Religion is to bar e 
 right Notions of the Gods ar.d to corforrn ourfehe:: to them, S:c. Tet 
 -ct the fame Time [as the reft of the Phi/ojophen did) he objerves the 
 liecefTary Duty of worfripprng them i^VihXicU'j aaoiding to the EJlab- 
 iftJ'd Lazes of ez-er'j CouT.try. 
 
 "' [e) P'id. Augufl. de CiviialeDei. lib. ii. cap. iv. and v. lib. ,iv. 
 cap. xxxi. Arnob. adr. Gentcj. lib. v. Grot, de V'eritat. Reiig. 
 Chriftiantc. lib.lv. §. 3. BUhop QMo\\s fecond pifhral Letter, 
 f.zi. 
 
Religious Obfervatim of the Lord^s Day 97 
 
 Service in offering up their Sacrifices, and in 
 performing the Ceremonies of divine Worfhip, as 
 we are informed both by LaEiantius (/) and St Au^ 
 
 This great Negled miight perhaps be ^ owing to 
 the vaft Number and Variety of their Sacrifices, 
 of which this was the True Ground and Reafon. 
 They generally thought that Sin would not be par- 
 doned by God upon the hare Repentance of the 
 Sinner, without offering up fome Sacrifice ( b) in his 
 {lead ♦, and being ignorant wh.it kind of Sacrifice 
 God would accept, this gave occafion to fo great 
 a Nurriber and Variety of Sacrifices, that the Obla- 
 tion of them together with the performing the Rites 
 and Ceremonies of Religion took up the whole TimiC 
 of their public Meedngs. V^hich, tho' it v/as a great 
 and manifefl Errour, yet it plainly fhews their Stn^'o. 
 of the Neceffity of public Devotion ; and they could 
 never poffible have fallen into fuch an extreme negle6t 
 o^ Moral Inftrudlion, if they could have been perfuaded 
 with 'fome Men in thefe latter Times, that the 
 lare Love of God, and the Performance of the Duties 
 which we owe to each other, do v^'ithout the pub- 
 lic Worfhip of God, make up the whole of Reli- 
 gion : and this is all the Purpofe for which I bring the 
 H Teflimony 
 
 (/) Philolophia k Religio'Deorum disiun£la funt, fiquidem aliifunt 
 profeflbres Sapientiae perquos utique ad DeoJs non aditur. Alii Reli- 
 gionis antiflites, per quos fapere non difcitur. And again, HiMhi 
 difleritur quod proficiat ad mores excolendos vitamque formandam, 
 nee habet inquifitionem aliquam Veritatis, fed tantummodo ritum 
 colendi, qui non officio Mentis fed miniftero Corporis conflat. 
 La^ant. Injlitut. lib. i-u. cap. Hi. 
 
 [g) Dicatur in quibus locis hsc docentium Deorum folebant prae- 
 cepta recitari, & a cultoribus eorum populis frequenter audiri, ficut 
 jios ollendimus ad hoc Ecclefias inftitutas, quaquaverfum Religio 
 Chriiliana difFunditur. ^i^g- de Civit. Deiy lih. ii. ca^ z'i. yid 
 ioc. 
 
 {h) Vid.Dr Marfhall's Sermons, T'ol, L />. 443 to 447; 
 
£)8 A Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 Teftimony of them. And how necejfary the Wifefl' 
 Lkw-givers and Founders of States have thought the 
 piUic Worfhip of God to be, may appear from 
 hence, that they ever made it an ejjentiat Part of 
 their Cvvil Conflitution ; which is evident not only 
 from what has been ah'eady obferved, concerning the 
 Philofophers requiring Men to worfhip God according 
 to the Laws of their Country, but alfo from the Laws 
 themfelves which are ftill to be feen in the Antiquities of 
 all Nations concerning the public Eftablifhment of Re- 
 ligion. And this Judgment of the Antient Law-givers 
 is not only applauded by all pious and good Men (i), 
 but it alfo extorts the Commendation of thofe who are 
 prof eft Adverfnries of all Religion. For when the 
 yf//:?^i/?j would account for the ^;y? Introdudion of Reli- 
 gion into the World, they commonly tell us it was owing 
 to the Craft of Statefmen and Politicians (k) ; which by 
 the Way is a plain Acknowledgment that the public 
 Eflablilliment of Religion is advantageous and beneficial 
 
 to 
 
 (z) Towards keeping Mankind in Order, it is necejfar-^i that there 
 fhould be fome Religion proreft and even eftablifhed, which cannot 
 te done without fome public Worfliip. And were it not for that 
 Senfe of Virtue, which is preferved (fo far as it is preferved) by 
 iMational Forms and Habits of Religion, Men would foon Joofe it 
 all, run wild, prey upon one another, and do what elfe the worll of 
 Savages do. Woolafton' s Relig. of l^at, delineated, f, z\. See alfo, 
 an excellent Paffage of Dean Prideaux to this Purpofe already cited 
 in p. 80. 
 
 (k) The curious Reader may fee this Notion of the Atheijls in- 
 genioufly defcribcd in the ¥iim<te Philojofhert Vol.1. -p. 23. And 
 if he thinks there is any Ground for it, he may find the fame ju- 
 dicioufiy and folidly confuted by the Learned Br Cudzuorth in his 
 intelledual Syftem, p. 691, &c. and by Bifhop Leng in his 5th 
 Sermon at Bojlcs Le^uresy and by Archbiihop Tillotjon Vol. I, p. 
 18. ^id ? it qui dixerunt toiam de Dm hnimrtalibus Opinio7iem 
 ji6iam efje ob hcjninibus Japicr.tlbiis Reipublica Caufa, ut quos ratio 
 non pojjet^ ecs ad Officium religio duceret : nonne ommm religionem 
 funditus fujlulerurit ? Cic. de Nat. Deorum, lib. i. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 9? 
 
 to Human Society {I). And Mr Uohhs hath a peculiar 
 Thought on this Matter. Among other Reafons he 
 o-ives why the firil Legiilators did eftablifh the fuUic 
 Exercife of Religion, he mentions this as one, that 
 *' in cafe any Misfortunes iliould happen upon the 
 " Community, the People might lay the Fault on 
 *' their own Negled and Errour in the Ceremonies of 
 " Religion, and fo be lefs apt to mutiny againft 
 *' their Governours (?;?)•" ^"^^ ^^e fame Acknowledg- 
 ment hath been often made by many great Politicians 
 and Statefmen, who were never thought 'partial to Re- 
 liction. Thus Machiavel obferves that " the Grandeur 
 ^'^and Succefs of the Old Romans is chiefly to be afcribed 
 «' to their Piety and Religion ; and that Rome was 
 «' more obliged to Numa Po??ipilms for fcttUng the Rites 
 '' of Religion amongft them, than to i^(?;/z^/w j theFoun- 
 «' der of tiieir Stated! and the Reafon he gives for it is 
 " this, becaufe without Religion there can be no fuch 
 «' Thing as Military Difcipline ; Religion being the 
 '' Ground and Foundation of good Laws and Difcipline 
 " r^).''x\nd Farro who was one of the mofl Learned of 
 all \he antient Romans, when he had encouraged and 
 multiplyed the i^^?/7^;2 Theology, andfhev/ed them the 
 Gods they were to worfhip, thought that thereby he 
 did his Countrymen a very great Piece of Service (0), 
 Which Teltimonies to the Excellency and Ufefulnefs 
 H2 of 
 
 (/) When it is judged convenient for the Purpofes of Infiddity, 
 we have ibis (which is indeed the Praife and Merit of Religion) 
 imprpved into an xArgument againft the Truth of it ; as if it were 
 therefore an human Contrivance, becaufe it is found fo ferviceabfe 
 to Human Life ; whereas God the Author of every good Work 
 did indeed contrive it for our Ufe & Benefit ; and the Contrivance 
 is as ancient as the Scheme and Model of the Creation. Dr Marfia/Il's 
 Sermons Vol. I. p. 49. 
 
 {m) Lcjiath. cap. xH. p- 57* . , 
 
 \n) MachiavePs Difcourfes upon Lii>)\ lib. i. cap. xi. 
 
 \c) Anguji, de Cidt. Dei, lib. iv, cap. xxH^ 
 
100 A Dtfcourfe cdncernlng the 
 
 of Public Worfhip, ought to make our Modern Beifls 
 and Infidels ajharned of themfelves, by reafon of thofe 
 ftrange Liberties they often take of ridiculing the Eftab- 
 lifhed Religion of their Country. And fo I proceed. 
 
 Secondly y To fhew that God Himfelf hath made ex- 
 prefs and particular Provifion in Holy Scripture for 
 His Public Worfhip and Service. Thus fays the 
 Pfi^Jmift, Give unto the Lord the Glory due unto His Name^ 
 worjhip the Lord in the Beauty of Holinefs. Pfahn xcvi, 
 8, 9. And again, O come let us worjhip and hoiv down^ 
 let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, xcv. 6. Enter 
 into His Gates with 1'hankfgiving^ and into His Courts 
 ivith Praife^ he thankfull unto Him and hlefs His 'Name, 
 c. 4. And once more. Let the?n exalt the Lord in the 
 Congregation^ and praife Him in the AffemUy of the Elders^ 
 £vii. ^2, And indeed as the Words of our Church 
 well exprefs it (p), " Concerning no other Matter 
 *' did God give either more, or more earnefi; and ex- 
 *' prefs Laws to His faid People (the Jews) than thofe 
 *' that concerned the true Worfhipping of Him." 
 Nay fo much was God concerned for His Public Wor- 
 lliip, that in the Laws which He gave to the antient 
 Jezvs^ He not only commianded them to build Him a 
 ^abernackj but alfo determined the Tt7?ze and Manner 
 of His Service, together with xhtPerfons who were to 
 perform the Ceremonies of it, and even the Infiruments 
 and Fejfels that were to be uled therein, with the utmoft 
 Particularity of Circumflance. 'Tis true indeed, God 
 has not been fo exaui and punBual under the Gofpel ; 
 fince fuch an Exadlnefs in the Ceremonies of Divine 
 Worfnip is not fo necefiary to Chriftians^ as it was to 
 the Jews, For the great Defign of the Jewifh Reli- 
 gion, next to it's fliadowing out and prsefiguring the 
 Death of Chrift^ being to preferve the Ijraelites from 
 
 any 
 
 (;) Homily on the Peril of Idolatry, Part I, 
 
Religions ObferDation of the Lord's Day. i o i 
 
 any Correfpondence with the Idolatrous Nations ; 
 It did upon that Account require a much greater 
 Variety of Ordinances and more Exadnefs in the 
 inftitution of them, than was neceffary for any 
 other People. And the Reafon why God did Him- 
 felf appoint all thofe Ordinances, rather than leave 
 the Inftitution of them to the Authority of the Jewtjh 
 Church, may perhaps be this -, that hereby they might 
 have lefs Reafon to complain of the Difficulty and 
 Burthen of them. For that the Jewijh Ordinances 
 were thought very grievous and troublefome, is plain 
 from the Teftimony of St Peter and St Paul, who 
 call them a Toke of Bondage which neither they nor their 
 Fathers were able to hear. ABs xv. lo. Gal v. i. 
 And this explains the Reafon v/hy there^ is fo little laid 
 in the Four Gofpels, concerning the Time and Man- 
 ner of God's Worlhip •, unlefs it be to reftify the Mif- 
 takes of the Jews about it, as they placed it too much 
 in External Obfervations, and to fhew that it muft be 
 performed in Spirit and in l^ruth. John iv. 24. For 
 the Chriftian Religion being of a moft Divine and 
 Spiritual Nature does therefore require but fevj 
 external Ordinances and Inftitutions (^), which may^ 
 very well be left to the Wifdom and Prudence of 
 Ecclefiaftical Authority. But tho' our BlelTed Sa- 
 viour hath not been fo punElual and exaEl in the Ex- 
 ternals of Divine Worfhip for the Reafon abovemen^ 
 tioned ; yet he hath taken fufficient Care for the Wor- 
 ^ip itfelf, not only by communicating Himfelf with the 
 Jewijh Church, and fubmitting to the External Ordi^ 
 nances of Religion, which fliall be confidered hereafter ; 
 but alfo by requiring Men to worpip God in Spirit and 
 in "truth, John iv. 24. and to this End, not to forfake 
 the MemUing themfelves together ^ Heh, x. 25. ^ By 
 
 H 3 promifing 
 
 [q) Via. Dr Burnet U^te MaJIer of the Charter Houfe) on the 
 Faith snd Duties of CbriftUns^ ch^p^ v, p^ 97. 
 
102 'ADifcourfe concernmgtke 
 
 promifing Vi\2X where tv;o or three are gathered together 
 in His Na?ne^ there will He he in the Midft of them^ 
 Matt, xviii. 20. By inflituting the two Sacraments 
 which are of public Obfervation, Matt, xxviii. 19. Luke 
 xxii. 19, 20. And by appointing an Order of Men^ 
 whofe Peculiar Office it Ihou'd be to perform the 
 Service of God and to preach His Word in the 
 AfTemblies of Chriflians. Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. Luke x. 
 2 Tim. ii. 2. And we may iarther obferve 
 that our Blefled Saviour hath united all the Mem- 
 bers of His Church into one Body., and under 
 077e Spirit. Eph. iv. 4. which Unity cannot be up- 
 held and maintained, only by an Agreement in the 
 fame Doftrines, and by Love and Charity for one 
 another, as fome have imagined -, but it alio farther 
 requires (r) the Affem.bling of themfelves together 
 for public Worfhip ; as is evident not only from the 
 Exprefs Do6trine of Scripture, which I have obferv- 
 ed already, but alfo from the Example and Pradlice 
 of the Primitive Believers -, who as St Luke tells us, 
 not only continued ftedfaftly in the Apoftles 'DoBrine and 
 Fellowjhip., but alfo in breaking of Bread and in Prayers 
 (j). J^s ii. 42. This is a fuffcient Provifion for 
 the public Service of God ; and therefore if it could 
 not bj proved that God hath appointed a Particu- 
 lar Day for His pid)lic Worfhip, as fome Men fay 
 He hath not made any fuch Appointment to Chrf- 
 iians in the Holy Scripture, (tho' I humbly con- 
 ceive the contrary hath in the foregoing Part of 
 this Difcourfe been proved very clearly), yet that 
 
 would 
 
 (r) See Bingham's Ant'qiiities, Book xvi. chap. i. ^. 5- 
 ( ) Whatever Worfhip God requires of any one alone t the 
 fara* He requires aTo of dll met together as o}ie \ being God 
 of the Bod\ as a Church, as well as of any one Member as ^a 
 ChriHan ' Ne/fon on the feft'wah^ p. II. Vid, alfo Woslafton'^ 
 kelig. of Nat^delineatedy ^. izd;. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 103 
 
 would be no Objedlion at all to the NecefTity of 
 fuch Worfhip. For the Inftitution of the Woilliip 
 does of itfelf fufficiently intimate that there muft be 
 fome Time and Place appointed for it, and fome 
 Manner of it's Celebration, either fettled by God, 
 or left to the Determination of Authority ♦, fmce as 
 a Learned Author obferves, " unlefs the AiTemblies 
 " of the Church are fixed, and have their proper ap- 
 *' pointed Days, they cannot be held and attended 
 '' upon (t).^^ And it is certain that in this Cafe as 
 well as others, whatfoever is determined by jufl and 
 lawful Authority is as neceflarily to be complied 
 with, as the exprefs Inftitutions of God Himfelf. The 
 Reafon of which is not that any Authority can pof- 
 fibly be equal to that of God, but becaufe to fpeak 
 properly all juft Authority whether it be Ecclefiafli- 
 cal or Civil is the Authority of God Himfelf ; it 
 being as plainly declared by God in Scripture, that 
 Men fhould obey them that have the Rule over them, 
 as that they ihould obferve His own Commiands, 
 Rom, xiii. i, 2. 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14. Heb, xiii. 17. 
 {ti) And what claims foever Men may make to 
 
 Liberty 
 
 (t) Niftjiati fmt Convintus Ecclefiafticu & fiios halent confti^ 
 tutos Dtesy quomodo haberi pojjunt ? Calv. Inftitut. lib. ii. cap viii. 
 §. 32. 
 
 It is necefTary that fome folemn Times Ihould be fet apart 
 for full and copious Meditations on thefe (Divine) Subjcdls ; 
 this fhould be unwerfal, left if the Time were not the fame 
 every where, the Buiinefs of fome might interfere with the De- 
 votions of others. Burnet. Artie. VI I. ;>. 103. See the Place. 
 
 (u) Whatfoever God hath not commanded or forbidden by 
 His own immediate Di^late and Authority, He hath authorized 
 His Vicegerents to command or forbid, as they fhali judge it moft 
 Expedient for the Public. So that when they command what 
 God hath not forbidden, or forbid what he hath not commanded ; 
 their Will is Go<Ps^ who commands us by their Mouths, and ftamps 
 their Injundinns with His own Authority. Dr Scott'^ Cbrijlim 
 life, 8vo. W. //. ;. 2. 
 
104 ^ Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 Liberty and Freedom, yet if they do npt fubmit 
 themfeives to fuch Cominands of their Superiors as 
 are in no wife contrary to God's Word *, they do 
 not I am fure pbferve the Rules of Holy Scripture, 
 and therefore cannot be accounted good Chriftians, 
 And fo I pafs on to the 
 
 I'hird and Laft Confide ration^ which is to fhew that a 
 good Moral Life (as fome call it) will not without the 
 Public Worfhip of God be available to Salvation. And 
 indeed there is the greatefi Reafon for infilling upon 
 this •, fince there are too many Perfons among us who 
 are fallen into a great and dangerous Errour in this 
 Matter. They argue that Morality is the great 
 End and Defign of all Religion (x)^ and therefore 
 they think that if a Man lecures that Point, there 
 is no doubt but God will accept him : and then 
 fince God is infinitely Perfed: and Sufficient for His 
 cwn Happinefs ^ they cannot fee how He can (land 
 in any Need of our Service ( j). And fo far it is un- 
 doubtedly 
 
 [x) The Honour of God has fufPered by nothing fo much as 
 by Men? making a Difference betwixt Virtue and Religion \ for by 
 Reafon of this Diftinftion it harh come to pafs that fome have had 
 the Credit to -e th^mght vi tu Ui tho* in the mean Time they were 
 carelejs of God, <^c. Dean Young ^ Sermons, Vol. II. p. 3 "6. 
 
 'Tis z fat a I Thing both to Religion -nd Morality to diftinguilh 
 fo far between them as to imag'ne thit either cf them can be per- 
 fe6l without the other ; for as we have all the Reafon in the World 
 to fufpe£l the Sincerity o\ that Man's Profellion of Religion who is 
 willingly deficient in Moral Hofiefiy ; fo he that fleclares himfelf to 
 be under no Reilraint of Confcience from the Beliei of any Invi- 
 fible Principle, muft excufe us if we doubt whether His Integrity 
 may in all Cafe-, be faely depended on. B{lhop Leng'j Sermons 
 at Boyle'^s LeSIwes p. 85. 
 
 [y] The Author of the Difcourfe on Free-thinking, hath a 
 Ilrange Paflage to this Effe6t in which he drolls egregioujly upon 
 the ^Jizvifh and Chrijiian Religion, not without a fneering Refle- 
 flion upon the Church of England * God, fays he^ being inca- 
 ■^ pable of having any Addition made either to His Power or Hap- 
 * pmefs, ^nd wanting nothing, can require nothing OJ: Men foir 
 
Religious Obfer'vation of the Lord's Day. 105 
 
 doubtedly true, which is urged ih this Argument, 
 viz. that Morality and a good Life is the great End 
 ^nd Defign of all Religion, without which, all Pofi- 
 tive Inftitutions and Obfervations will be of no Effed: ; 
 and likewife that God cannot pofTibly receive the leaft 
 Benefit from our Service and Worlhip of Him (z). 
 But the great Weaknefs of this Reafoning in excluding 
 the Neceflity of God's Public Worfhip, will appear 
 from thefe three Confiderations. 
 
 Firft^ Becaufe Piety or the Worfhip of God is 
 
 an Eftential Part of Religion, as well as Morality (a), 
 
 This 
 
 * His ozvn Sake, but only for Man's Sake ; and confequently that 
 ' all Aftions or Speculations which are of no Ufe to Mankind, (as 
 
 * for inftance, Jinging or dancings or zuearing of Habits^ or Ob- 
 ^ fervntion of Days, or eating o drinkingiOX flaughtering of Beafis^ 
 
 * [in which Things the greatelt Part of the Heathen Worfhip con- 
 
 * filled] or the Belief of Tranfubftantiationt or Confub/Iantiation, 
 
 * or of any Do.*irines not taught by the Church of England) ei- 
 
 * ther fignify nothing at all with God, orelfe difpleafe Him, but 
 
 * can never render a Man more acceptable to Him. Fret-thinking 
 
 ' p. 37- 3^-' 
 
 '(2) Plurima & maxima beneficia in Nos Deus confert, ftne fpe 
 recipiendi, qnoniam nee Ille collato eget, nee nos Ei quidquam conferre 
 foffumus. Senec de Benef lib. iv. cap. ix. 
 
 l(WTQV T« 0fK ^VAi K^eiTJoyat. Hierocles in Carm. Pythag.p. xxv. 
 ■ [aj Difciti Jujiitiam moniti & non temnere Divas. 
 
 Virgil ^neid. vi. 1. 620. 
 The Worfhip of God is the moll excellent Part of Religion, as hav- 
 ing God the moll Excellent Being for it's Objc6l. Sherlockh Intro- 
 du^. to his Difcourfe on Religious Affemblies. 
 
 Suppofe a Man could fatisfy himfelf, as to thefe two Points of his 
 Duty, {viz. towards his Neighbour and himfelf) yet if he makes 
 'no Confcience of the Third, i. e. of Piety towards God, in 
 what Senfe or Notion can this Man be laid to have done his Duty, 
 or to lead a virtuous Life ? Certainly in no Sinje at all. For as to 
 one third Part of his Duty (which is indeed as confiderable at lead 
 if not more then either of the other) ; he is a notorious Tranfgref- 
 for. And tho' he be not unjuil, tho' he be not debauch'd, yet 
 wanting Piety towards God, he is impious ; and that will as cer- 
 tainly damn him as either of the other. Archbijhop SharpV Perfua- 
 Jive to Prayer p. xxv, 
 
 * What fhall we fay of the feemingly good Adlions of thofc Chri- 
 ^ianst who aie deftitute of that Chriftian Principle from which 
 , - - every 
 
io6 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 This is plain fiom thofe Pofitive Precepts of 
 Holy Scripture, which require us to ferve and wor-. 
 Ihip God, and from that Care and Provifion which 
 He hath made for that Worfhip, as hath been al- 
 ready obferved. And indeed if the Scripture had 
 been filent in this Matter, it would be lufficiently 
 evident from Natural Reafon (b) •, fmce nothing can 
 be more plain in Reafon, than that all Created 
 Dependent Beings are bound to acknowledge their 
 Obligations to their Creator, by all proper Adls of 
 
 Homage 
 
 every Chriftian Virtue proceeds ? we will not call them Sins, for 
 that may be thought hard : but furely they are unavailing Virtues. 
 And is it not great Pity, that good A6tions ihould be loft for want 
 of a good Principle to recommend them ? and that after we have 
 taken Pains to Ywtfoberly and righteot/Jly i we Ihould loofe our Re- 
 ward, and be deceived at laft, for want of living godly too ? Yet 
 how many Men are there, who have outward'y no Fault, and in- 
 wardly no Senfe of Virtue ! who are very Regular and Orderly in 
 the Difcharge, of all Duties, except that which they owe to God ! 
 That which is not only the moft neccfTary of all Duties, but that 
 alfo, without which the Performance of all Duties is no better than 
 Formality and Pretence ? Dr Littleton s Sermons, Vol. I. p. 98. See 
 the Place. 
 
 (b) Sure they (the impious') cannot expe^l, that in the mofi: 
 Imperfo^l Sketch of Natund Religion, the Worihip of the Deity 
 iliould be omitted. WoolaJion\ Religion of Mature delineated, 
 f. 126. 
 
 I cannot allow that Natural Religion fhould be painted «/^^r/j> • 
 r.akcd without any manner of Drefs or Ornament, like a Birth that 
 is newly come from "he Womb, or the Earth defpoiled by Winter 
 of all the Fruits and Flowers that are wont to adorn it. Natural 
 Religion is rather wont to fuper-abound in thefe, and to incline to* 
 Superflition ; fo that for the moft Part fomething ought to be 
 pruned from thefe to reftrain their Luxuriancy. I would have all 
 that is fuperfluous and fuperftiti.us caft entirely off from it: yet 
 fome External Worfhip will ftill remain, and thofe facred Rites and 
 thofe v\holeiome Inftitutionsof Piet)', which in Nature's fe If are 
 founded. Such are Spiri-iual Hymns and Praifes and Prayers, and 
 folemn Supplications in public Congregations. Such likewife are 
 the Confeifion of Sins, and Prayers lot the averting of Jvidgments, 
 
 as 
 
Religious Obfern)ation of the Lord's Day. 107 
 
 Homage and Devotion (c). And indeed fince th^ 
 Obligadon of all Moral Duties is derived from the 
 Nature of Things, and the feveral Relations which 
 they bear to each other -, it is 7nonftrouJly ahfurd to fup- 
 pofe that the Relation which finite created Beings bear 
 to God their Creator, Governour, and beft Benefadlor, 
 fhould not be fufficient to eftablilh thofe Duties which 
 arife from that Relation ; as well as the Reladon which 
 weak and imperfed Creatures Hand in to one another, 
 fhould be deemed iuflicient to eftablilh the refpedive 
 
 Duties 
 
 as likewife the ordinary eftabiiflied Forms and ProfciTions of Faith 
 in God, which in Nature's felf are founded. All thefe have Place 
 m Natural Religion, and likewife Feftivals fet apart for the perform- 
 ing of facred Rites, and Difcourfes to the People, and Exhortations 
 to Virtue, to Piety, X.q Repentance and Reformation j or laftly,- 
 whatever may contribute to the averting the Wrath of God, or to 
 the obtaining His BlefTmgs, or may be for public or private Good, 
 according to the beft and trueft Light of Nature : All thefe arc: to 
 be engrafted 2iTi(\ adopted into Natural Religion. Dr Burnet en tht 
 Faith and Duties of Chrijiians. ch. ii. /. i6, 17 . See alfo^ a very 
 excellent and judicious Difcourfe concerning the Neccfhty and Ufe- 
 fulncfs of Ritual and External Inftitutions in Religion, in Dr Mar- 
 jhalCh Sermons^ Vol. II. Sermon vii. 
 
 (c) We Worlliip God, we praife and pray to Him, not becaufe 
 we think that he is proud of our Worfhip, or fond of our Praife or 
 Prayers, or affeSled with them, as Mankind are, or that all our 
 Service can contribute in the leafl Degree to His Happinefs, or 
 Good ; but becaufe it is good for us to be fo difpofed towards God, 
 becaufe it \sjuji and right and fui table to the Nature of Things , and 
 becoming the Relation we ftand in to our fupreme Lord and Go- 
 vernor. Minute Philofopher. Vol. I. p. 263. 
 
 Give unto the Lord^ faith David, the Honour due unto his Name, 
 Pfal xxix. 2. Intimating it is no arbitrary or voluntary A61, but 
 the Payment of a jufl Debt ; and indeed for this very End we 
 were created, that we might praife God. He gave us Eyes to fee, 
 and Reafon to apprehend His wondrous Works, and Tongues to 
 publifn the Glory of Him that made them all ; which if we fhall 
 negJetl, we do not anfwer the End of our Creation ; and by with- 
 holding this fo deferved a Tribute, wc diveft ourfelves of all rigM 
 fo ^ny of God's Gifts, and are but Thieves and Robbers, if wc ufe 
 
 them. 
 
xo8 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Duties which arife therefrom f^j. Piety therefore or 
 the Worfhip of Gk)d, is eflential to Religion ; and a 
 necellary Part of that Juftice {e) which is due to God. 
 And fo in a proper Senfe may be reckoned a material 
 Branch of MoraHty (f) itfelf: And Piety towards 
 God not only implies the regular Performance of the 
 Devotions of the Clofet, but aifo a due and conflant 
 Attendance upon ihtfuUic Worfhip at the itated Times 
 and Seafons of iu Since by this Means not only the 
 Honour of God is befl promioted and advanced (g) 
 ('as hath been already obferved in Introd. f, 2) and a 
 good Example of this Duty is fet before the World 
 (h) ; butalfobecaufe " by thIs^//M<: W^orfhipofGod, 
 ^' are made the properefl ExprefTions of the Senfe 
 "■^ we have of our Dependance upon Him ♦, and by 
 ^' this Manner of expreiTmg it, is that Senfe itfelf, the 
 
 " Senfe 
 
 them, and do not pay him our juj} Acknowledgments. Combsr*^ 
 Companion to the Temple, fart II. $. 11. 
 
 {d) Fid. Br A'a^JhaTs"^ trmons. Vol. IIL p. 221, to zz^, 
 
 (e) Eft enim Pietas Juftitia adverfum Deos. Cic. de Nat. Deor- 
 um, Jib. i, cap. xli. To deny or negled the Worfhip of God is 
 the highell Injuftice ; it is to deny God what is His Natural Right, 
 what is due from us, what alone we are able ,to give, and what He 
 requires of us. Sherlock on Religims Jfemblies, Part /. chnp. i. §. 2. 
 
 (/) <^f fhere be really a God that has any Concern with us and 
 for us, a r^^//^tf/ Moraliy, muft necefTarily have refpeft to Him 
 as well as to our Intercourfe wi:h one another. This is what 
 cannot reafonab^y be denied, unlefs there fhouJd be any who think 
 fcecaufe God is a Spirit and invifible, that therefore Men who are 
 clothed with Body, have no means of ihewing Him any Honour 
 ©r Reverence, or of ading and doing any thing that can have Re- 
 lation to fuch a Super eminent Being U therefore Morality 
 
 cannot be compleat and perfect, without adling fuitabJy and becom- 
 angly to every Relation in which we Hand to any Beings, and 
 efpccially rational Beings that are known to us ; the very chief Parts 
 of it mull be in proper Ads of Piety and Religion, to the Firft Be- 
 ing from whom we derive our Reafon itfelf. Bijhsp Lens's Se*-msfii 
 At Boyle's Leflures, p. 86. 87. j r q . ■ 
 
 (^jP^^.Pfal. xxix. I, 2. Pjal. c. 4. 
 
 [b] Pfal. XXXV. 18. 
 
Religious Obfer^oation of the Lord's Day. 109 
 *' Senfe of God and Religion upon die Minds of Men 
 *' mod efFe6]:ually kept up and preferved ;'* ^ a 
 Learned Divine (i) of our Church well exprefies i^. 
 And dierefore tho' we muft grant that the external Wor- 
 fhip of God at any particular Time and Seafon of it 
 may and ought to be omitted, when any unavoidable 
 Duty of Neceffity and Charity interferes therev/ith ; 
 yet this is not becaufe the Worfhip of God even as to 
 the external Part of it, is not Moral and equally binding 
 with that neceflary Duty ; but becaufe it may be well 
 deferred 'till another Opportunity, v/hich the Duty of 
 Neceffity and Charity cannot be. For otherwiie, 
 where the Cale is not fo urgent, but that the Moral 
 Duty may be fully and fufficiently difcharged at 
 another Time ; the greateft A6t of Goodnefs and 
 Charity which fuch a Man can perform will not atone 
 for one fingle Negledt of attending upon God's Wor- 
 fhip. For inllance, were I juft now going into the 
 Houfe of God to ferve and worlhip Him, or ap- 
 proaching the Holy Table of the Lord , in order to 
 receive the BlefTed Sacrament of His Body and Blood, 
 and at that very Inftant my Neighbour's Houfe fhould 
 be on Fire, and could not be extinguiihed without my 
 Help ; or fhould any thing of the like Nature hap- 
 pen at that Time, which could not admit of the leait 
 Delay : in fuch a Cafe I think that I ought to omit 
 the Worfhip of God and receiving the Sacrament for 
 that Seafon, that I might affift my Neighbour in his 
 Diftrefs. And I am really of Opinion, that the 
 Omiffion of the -public Service and Sacrament upon 
 fuch an Account, would not only be highly pleafing 
 and acceptable to God, but alfo that I fhould for the 
 Sake of my Humanity and Charity, receive the full 
 Benefit of thofe Religious Inflitudons, as well as if I had 
 
 attended 
 
 (f) Dr C/<?rVs Sermons, Vol. IJ. p. 27, 
 
lid A Dtfcourfe concernbig the 
 
 attended upon them. But had I determined v/ith my= 
 felf to diilribute fuch or fuch a Sam of Money among 
 the Poor of this or that Town or Parifli, or to do any 
 other Act of Charity, v/hich might as well be done 
 on any other Day as that which is dedicated to the 
 Worfhip of God ; it would be a very great Sin to 
 iiegle6l the 'public Worfhip of God in His Church 
 upon account of diftributing that Charity -, becaufe 
 the Condidon and Circumftances of loth Duties are 
 fuch, that each of them may be duly and fufficiendy 
 difcharged in it's proper Seafon. And fo likewife, 
 tho' fome Moral Crimes, fuch as Adultery ^ Fornicat/iGn^ 
 Slander^ and the like, may be in themfelves more fin- 
 ful and more feverely puniHied at the laft Day than the 
 lare Negle6l of God's Worfhip and of Pofitlve Infti- 
 iutions^ becaufe in fuch Cafes there is a Tranfgreffion 
 againfb the Rights of Men as well as God, and {(^ 
 a double Violation of God's Law •, yet the one is as 
 truly an Inftance of Sin as the other, and 2isfuch^ will 
 expofe Men to the Judgment of God : according to 
 that Determination of the Apoille, (which equally 
 holds in all Kinds and Inilances of Sin) whofoever Jhall 
 keep the whole Law^ and yet offend in one Pointy he is 
 guilty of all. Jam. ii. lo. And if v/e look into 
 Scripture we fliall find that God often punifhes Men, 
 and in as terrible a Manner, for the Breach of thofe 
 Laws which relate to Plis Worfhip, and of Pofjive 
 Inflitutions, as wtII as for the Violation of Moral 
 Duties (k) : as appears from feveral Inftances, and 
 
 particularly 
 
 (k) ^Js non mijeratur Ufa, qui folo Arcs, non tangend^y taBu 
 cecidit exanimis P Annon exitiabilefuit Saulis faSium quod fffetu iff 
 mora fatnuelii tadio^ in facrificar.di Munus irruit ? Unde non in 
 Samuel IS modo, fed Dei fuveftajn Indignationem incidit. ^is Priri' 
 cipum non horrejcat qui videt Ufiam Regem, tentando non tejitanda^ in 
 lepratn incidiffe ; qua in vita ilhun a Regimine, & in Mortc a Return 
 Sepulchris extrujit ? Apollonii Grallas, p. 357, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 1 1 r 
 
 particularly from the Cafe of the Man that was ftoned 
 to Death for gathering of Sticks upon the Sahhatb 
 Day (I), Nu?nh. xv. 32, ^c. And from that heavy 
 Judgment which was executed on Korah^ Dathan and 
 Ahiram for invading the Prieft's Office. Numb. xvi. Of 
 which fevere Proceedings no poffible Senfe could be 
 made, if the /)//MfWorfliip and Service of God were not 
 an ElTential Part of Religion. And in the other 
 World, Men fhall be punifhed for the Negled of 
 God's Worfhip, as well as for breaking the Rules 
 of Morality. In which Senfe we may very properly 
 ufe thofe Words of the Pfabnifl, ix. j'/, (which as 
 fome think are by him applied to (*) another Purpofe) 
 The Wicked Jhall he turned into Hell^ and all the Nations 
 that forget God (m). For by this Expreffion is often- 
 times meant in Scripture the notWorfliipping of God ; 
 as is plain from innumerable PafTages which might 
 be produced, and particularly from thofe Places where 
 Mofes cautions the Ifraelites^ leaft when they caine into the 
 fromifed Land and enjoyed the Bleffings of it they Jhould 
 
 forget 
 
 (/) Philo fpeaking of this Man's Crime and his being brought 
 unto Mofes and Jaron and all the Congregation, ver. 33. obferves 
 that ^!?/>i was then expounding the Law, as uT^ont\\Q Sabbath Day y 
 it being the Cuflom of the Jews to fpend Part of their Time on 
 the Sabbath Days^ in Public Affemblies as was before remcmbred in 
 a PalTage cited out of him. p. 53. 
 
 Nee Sabbati etiim infpices Legem opera humana non dhina prohi- 
 hentem. Ideoque qui Sabbatis lignatum ierat^ morti datus eft^ fuum 
 enim opus fecerat, lege interdW.um. ^n vera arcam Sabbath cir- 
 £umtulerant, impune gejjerunt ; non Juum enim opus Jed, Dei, e:>c 
 fracepto Jcilicet ipfius adminis tr aver ant. TertulL adv. Marcion. 
 lib. ii. 
 
 (*) See Bijhop Patrick, in he. compared with Dr Sherlock on the 
 Immortality of the Soul, i^c. p. 149, 
 
 {m)Telemachus feeing the Three (Infernal) Judges (according to 
 the Notion of the Poets), palling Sentence upon a Man, took the 
 Liberty to ask them, what were his Crimes ? the Criminal immedi- 
 ately taking upon himfelf to anfvver, cried out, I never did the leafr 
 
 fiviJ, oa the Cvatrary, I placed my greate^ ^appinefs in doing 
 
 Good^ 
 
112 ^ Difcourfe concernmg the 
 
 forget God ; the Meaning of which he immedia:ely ex- 
 plains, hy their walking after other Gods^ and worjhippng 
 them. Deut. viii. 19* Fof this is called the forgetting 
 of God, becaufe it is a transferring that Worlhip upon 
 the Heathen Deities, which God hath ftridly appro- 
 priated to Himfelf (>/J. And how great a Sin this was^ 
 may be judged by the Threatning which in that Text 
 is annexed tb it. And it Jhall he, that if thou do at all 
 forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other Gods, and 
 ferue and worfhip them, I tejlify againft you this Day 
 that ye Jhall furely perijh. And fo great an Offence to 
 God was this Sin of Idolatry and Worfhip of falfe 
 Gods, that as an excellent Divine well obferves {0), 
 *' the whole Hiftory of the Jezmjh Nation may fatisfy 
 *' us, that tho' God many Times fpared them when 
 *' they were guilty of other great Sins, yet they never 
 " fell into Idolatry, butVengeance foon purfued them ; 
 *' and they were either opprefTed by their Enemies at 
 " Home, or carried Captives into Foreign Countries." 
 Secondly, 'Tis to no purpofe for any one to feparate 
 Morality from Piety or the Worjfhip of God ; fince we 
 cannot attain to that perfe6tion of Morality which fhall 
 render us acceptable to God, without attending upon 
 
 His 
 
 Good ; I was ever generous, liberal, juft, companionate ; what 
 have they then to charge me with ? to which Minos anfwered, we 
 have nothing to accufe thee of withrefpeft to Men ; but didft not 
 thou owe to them far lefs than to the Gods, where is then that 
 Juftice thou fo much braggeft of ? thou hail failed in nothing 
 towards Men who are nothing; thou haft been virtuous, but thou 
 ^haft referred all Virtue to thy felf and not to the Gods who gave it 
 thee ; thou hadft a Mind to enjoy the Fruits of thy own proper 
 Virtue, and made it centre in thyfelf ; thou haft been thy own Deity, 
 but the Gods who were the Creators of all Things, and who have 
 made nothing but for themielves, cannot renounce their right. As thou 
 didft forget them, fo they will forget thee, and furrender thee up 
 to thy felf; fince for thy felf thou iivedft, and not for them. Ad- 
 ventures of Telemachus Part 11, lib. xviii, p. 1 85. 
 
 {n) Vi'd. Rom\. 19* ^c. 
 
 (oj 5/?;^r^t/^ on Divine Providence, chap* viii. p. 313, /{tb, Sef 
 the Place. 
 
Religious Obfer^vafion of the Lord's Day. 113 
 
 His public Worfhip and Service. For not to men- 
 tion that the Performance of the Duties of God's Wor- 
 ihip doesofitfelf naturally call to Mind, and beftpre- 
 ferves in our Thoughts (*) a due Senfe of the Being 
 and Providence of God, and the great Concernments of 
 a future State, which are the Life and Support of Re- 
 ligion *, it is a Principle which ChrijTtans are generally 
 agreed in, that without the Grace of God and the AfTiil- 
 ance of the Holy Spirit, we are not able to perform our 
 Duty. This the Jezvs of {p) Old, and the very Heathens 
 thernfeives {q) were fenfible of. But now it is very clear 
 from Lloly Scripture, that thefe great Bleffings are not 
 ordinarily difpenfed to us, but by die Ufe of the ex- 
 
 I ternal 
 
 {^) Some A6ts of Worfiiip to be religiowfly performed at Regular 
 and Stated Penods, are not only the genuine EfFe£ls, but the befl 
 Prefervatives of that Religious Awe, which we ought to have for 
 the MajeHy of God. But fuch A6ts as thefe cannot well be per- 
 formed, at lea't not at all Times with equal Profit, without the 
 Heln of (ome outward Signs. We may indeed fometimes with in- 
 finite Delight fer our Thoughts a ranging in thofc boundlefs Fields 
 of Contemplation on the Attributes of God, 'till they are loll and 
 fwallowed upinVvonder. And Inch an Aft as this, when it is 
 a voluntary Aft, performed with a fixed and deliberate Defign to 
 admire and ador€ the Deity ; is donbtlefb' in His Sight as much ati 
 A6t of Worfhip, as when we offer up the Sacrifice of our Lips. 
 But it is not every one that hath this Strength of Mind. Aiany 
 have no Notion of any Aft of Worfhip, fo furd fo ahJlraBed, and 
 refined ; nor can even thofe who have, be fo fure of prailing God 
 in an acceptable and proper Manner, when they are left to the Di- 
 ieftion of their own fudden Thoughts ; as they are by the Help 
 of a fet Form of Words, defigncd'to contain and fuggcft to thei^r 
 Minds proper Matter for their Fraife and Worfhip. Dr Littletons 
 Sermons Vol. 11. p. 177, 178. 
 
 (p) Vid. Poli Syncp. Crit. in Pfal. li. 1 3 . 
 
 \q) A/ cfi dizMTM -^vyjii (pvcreii ci^!pijCtfj-/i(Tiy.oi ^v ^A^e'co '^ 
 
 poTjjf y' vf^pA^^yQ/Zce^. Max, Tyr. DifTertat. xxii. p. 26^ Vid. loc. 
 The fame^is alto obferved frequently by ArijUth in his Ethia to 
 ^icomachus^ h Se?ieca in Epifi, xli. and by other Phiiofophers. 
 
114 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 tcrnal Ordinances of Religion (r). Thus we mufl: 
 pray to God for His Holy Spirit. Luke xi. 13. 
 And if we expe6t the Grace and AfTiftance of God, 
 we muft frequently receive the Blefied Sacrament. 
 Which Intlitution tho' it is defpifed by fome among, 
 us, and too much negledled and difufed by others •, yet 
 was ever held in the higheft Veneration by the Pri- 
 mitive Church, and thought to be of the utmoft Be- 
 nefit and Advantage to all good Chrifricms (jj. And 
 indeed well might the Primitive Chureh think fo ; 
 when it is called by St Paul^ the Ccm?nimivn of the 
 Body and Blood of Chrifi. i Cor. x. 16 ^ ^c. that is, 
 as the bed Interpreters have always rendered it, the 
 Means whereby we communicate with Clorijl^ and 
 receive the Benefits of His Death and Paffion (t). And 
 therefore it is idle and vain Talk in the Enthufiafts of 
 the prelent Age to fay, what fignifies pouring a little 
 Water upon a Man in Baptifm ? What fignifies 
 eating of Bread and drinking of Wine at the Sacra- 
 ment P Lead a good Life if thou expedeft (ii) to be 
 faved ! I fay, this is nothing but idle and vain Talk ; 
 lince a Man cannot ordinarily obtain that Grace and 
 AiTiilance of God^ which is neceflary to a good 
 
 Life, 
 
 (r) As God is to be obeyed, fo He is to be worfhipped alfo ; nay 
 the worfhipping Him is a Part of that very Obedience, and a Means 
 to enable Iv.en to perform more acceptably the other Parts of their 
 Obedience. Jjx Clarke''^ Scr?nonSy Vol. IX. p. 457. See Vol. II, 
 f. 27- 
 
 (j) "E^'ct i^ov Y.K'^vl'i^ £57 (pcipuAKov a^.vao'itxi, ei/IiJ^o7Q^ 
 /ry y-i'i d.'TTz^yc^Vy ctA/\66 ^Uj h Qica S'ts^ Jjjcra Xe^rS". Ignat. 
 Epiil. ad Ephef. juxt. fin.~ 
 
 Sacramentorum vio inennarrabiliter valet plurimum, & ideo con- 
 tern pta facrilcgos facit; impis quippe contemnitur, j^;/^ ^u4 non 
 ■perficl tote ft Pietai. Auguji. contr. Fauji. lib xix. Vid. etiam 
 C"pn'a/:i Epifi. Hi. ad Cdcilium. Tertullian. de 'ReJurrcSlione^ 
 ^ap. vi'ii. AuguJI in Pfal. Ixxiii. ■ ■ 
 
 (/) 5r^ particularly Burnet Artie. XXVHI. p. 316, 317. 
 
 {v.) Vid, Barclay's Apol. Prop. 12. ^ ii. p. 413, 
 
Religious Objeruafion of the Lord*s Day. 115 
 Life, without the Ufe of thefe external Miniilra- ^ 
 tions (x). But, 
 
 Thirdly and lafty. The belt and moft righteous Men 
 who have been the moft remarkable ior the Pradice of 
 Moral Goodnefs and Virtue, have likewife been ever 
 the moft e7nment for their Attendance upon the public 
 Worlhip and Service of God ( y ). This is very evi- 
 dent from the Example of all the righteous and good 
 Men, both among Jews and Chrlftians •, nay and I 
 will add am.ong Heathens too {%). But it is m.oft pecu- 
 liarly remarkable in our BleiTed Saviour Himfelf. 
 He was ahfolute in Morality and all Goodnefs : For 
 in Him was no Sin^ neither was Guile found in His Mouth, 
 I Pet. ii. 22. And yet notwithftanding this Per- 
 feftion. He obferved the external Ordinances of 
 Religion. Thus He was circumdfed when He was 
 eight Days Old, as the Law required. Luke ii. 21. 
 And as Bapifm was a ftanding Part of the Jezvifi 
 
 I 2 Conftitution ' 
 
 (x) Sfe Dr Goodman, on the Parable of the Prodigal, Part I 
 chap. iv. ^. 2. 
 
 (y) In fidl it has alwa/s be-;n fonnd that in thofe Places where 
 there hath been litde Senfe of God and Pveligion, or where the 
 Notions of Religion have been greatly debafed and corrupted, io 
 as to have little Effeft upon the Minds of Men in their Moral 
 Condud ; there the Manners of Men have been always moft bru- 
 tifh and inhuman. And on the contrary, where Men have had 
 the jufteft and moft lively Senfe of a Deity and a Providence, there 
 all Moral Virtues between Man and Man have flourifhed, the moft 
 worthy and generous /\6iions have been performed, and the Man- 
 ners of Men have ever been the moft human and civiliz'd. BijhG^ 
 'Ltn^s, Sermons. .p'T^- Vid loc. 
 
 HaudjYio an ?ktatt fjverjum Deoi fublata fJes etiam& focietas 
 humani generis., & una exceller.tijfjirna virtus Juftitia tollatur. Cic. 
 de Nat. Deorum, lib. i. in Prosmio. ^^ ^^ 
 
 (z) ^Kn.i ^cQK^trn? ci; U:if:ti^ }i{\m 's^9^=v:;(iy.iv©- r.t 
 
 'SJ^rnfoj^f. Ma.'<; Tyrii Differtat. xxx. />. 366. 
 
1 16 A DifcGurfe concerning the 
 
 Conftitution, He freely {a) complied with it, and 
 told the Bapift it ivas the fulfilling of Right eoufncfs. 
 Matt. iii. 15 {k). And He not only ferved God 
 in private^ but alfo communicated with the Jewijb 
 Church in all it's Offices and Adminiflrations 
 {c) •, and that not only in fuch Things as were ex- 
 prejlly appointed by God Himfelf, but alfo in fuch 
 as were entirely owing to Human Inflitution. For 
 St John tells us that He v/as preient (d) at the Feaft 
 of Dedication. John x. 22. Which Feaft was not 
 appointed by God in Holy Scripture •, but by the 
 Governours of the JewiJJj Church in the Time of 
 the Maccahees., upon their refloring and purifying the 
 Sant^uary after it's Pollution by the King of Syria 
 {e). Which does not only demonilrate the Lawful- 
 
 nefs 
 
 {n) Chrijliim tiunqunm fe in nEl'ionihus fuis exhibuijfe vel oJie?i- 
 iajfe tanquam eximi!i7n <cy JtnguJarem HomtJ.e'fn^ fed cateris fimilem : 
 iivde voluit more alionim ciramcidi, in Tetnplo ; rdefentari^ (^ nunc 
 a 'Johanne haptizari ; ut difcas in omrdhus etiam Sfiritualibus te aliis 
 arco7nodare, nee feculiaria privilegia tibi vendicare ob doSlrinam 
 fapientiain, opi'J^ induftriam, Bufaei Enchiridion piarum Medita- 
 tionum. p. c^zo. 
 
 (b) Vid. Poll Synopf. Critic, in loc. 
 
 (e) It is very remarkable in the whole Hiitory of our Saviour, 
 that in all Calcs where neither any Natural Neceflity, nor Moral 
 Obligation intervened to the contrary, there He was conftantly moll 
 exa^ and idee in fulfilling every Particular even of the Ceremonial 
 Law. Dr Clarke" % Sermons, Vol. Xp. 45. See alfo Dr Mar fh alts 
 Sermons, Vol. IL p. 416, to 419. Vol. III. p. 161. ^c. 
 
 {d) This Feftival Chrift honoured with Kis Prefence at 'Jerufa- 
 lem^ coming thither of Purpole to bear a Part in the folemnizing of 
 itjVv'hich implies His Approbation of it. And therefore from hence 
 Cretins very juftly infers (/// Ccmment. ad "Job. x. 22.) that Fefti- 
 val Days in Memory of public Blefiings, may pioujQy be inftituted 
 by Perfons in Authority, without a Divine Command, or (it 
 may be added) the Example of a Perfon divinely direfted obferv- 
 ing the fame ; for the Inftitution of this Feftival was without either, 
 there being neither any Divine Precept, nor the Example oi any 
 Prophet for tre Obfervance of it. P/ideaux''s Connexion Sco. VoL 
 II L p. 278 . Sub. Anno ante Chrijlum. 165. 
 
 (e) iMaecab. ch. iv. And that the Feaft of Dedication mentioned 
 \>y St John at which our Bleffed Saviour v/as prefent, was not ei- 
 ther 
 
Religious Obfervation ^f the Lord's Day. 1 17 
 
 nefs of complying with ftioh Inftitutions, as are wholly 
 grounded upon Human Authority (/), inoppofition 
 to fome Perfons among us who have alferted the con- 
 trary ; but is moreover a manifefl: Proof that the 
 public Worfhip and Service of God, is an effential 
 Part of Religion -, fince it cannot be at all fuppofed, 
 that our BlefTed Saviour, who was infinite in Wif- 
 dom as well as- Goodnefs, would have employed fo 
 much of His Time in Devotion and the Worfhip 
 of God, if it had been fuch a trifi'mg '^vAmdifferent 2. 
 Matter, as fome Perfons among us now reprefent it 
 to be. And thus I have fhewn the NecefTity and 
 Obligation of attending upon the public Worfnip 
 and Service of God •, in the due Performance of 
 ¥/hich great Duty, the Religious Obfervation- of the 
 Lord's Day does mainly and principally ccnflfl. 
 I fhall before I proceed to the next Particular, make 
 one or two ufeful and neceflary Refiedtions upon what 
 hath been delivered upon this Head. And, 
 
 I 3 ■ Firll, 
 
 ther of tke two Former Dedications of the Temple which were 
 celebrated before, viz that of Sohmojit i Kings ch. viii. and after- 
 wards that of Z^r^^^^^^^/, Ezra vi. i6, &€. as fome early Wri- 
 ters of the Church imagined, [Fid. Maldon^t in loc.) is very evi- 
 dent from there two Confiderations. FirJ}^ That tho' tVefe Dedica- 
 tions were obferved in a very Solemn manner, at the Time 
 when they were perfjrmed, yet there was no Annivcrfary ap- 
 pointed in Commemoration of them, as there was of this of Judas 
 Mdccabaus. And then Second'y^^XvL^ Feaft of Dedication h.ippened 
 a,t a quite different Time of the Year, from that of the two Former 
 Dedications. For that oi Solomon was in the Seventh Month then 
 called Ethanaivty afterwards Tz'zW, which fell about the Time of 
 our September, i Ki?igs viii. 2. And that of Zerubhabel was in 
 the twelfth Month ca'led Adar* which fell in the Beginning of the 
 Spring ; but ihis Feftival of the Maccabees was appointed to be 
 obferved on the twenty-lifth Day of the Month Cijleu^ which fell 
 in the middle of the Winter, i Maccah.'w. 59. And th-t it was 
 obferved at that Seafon of the Year, in our Blefled Saviour's Days, 
 St yohn tells us in the Place above cited. 
 
 (f) See Archbipop Tillotfon, Vol. JJI. p. 227. Dr Marfliaire 
 Sermons. Vol. II. p. 519, 520. in which there are two very Excel- 
 \zxi Paffages to this'Purpcfe. 
 
1 18 A Dlfcoiirje concerning the 
 
 Firjl^ From what hath been faid concerning the 
 Virtue and Benefit of the Chriftian Inftitutions ; v/e may 
 fee how great a Bleifing thofe Men deprive themfelves 
 of, who negled the public Vv^oriliip and Service of 
 God. I know the wretched Excufe which many of 
 them make for themleh'es ; and that is, that they can 
 pray as v^^ell to God in private, and read as good a Dif- 
 courfe at Flome, as they can hear at Church {g). And 
 v/hat if they can ? Does all the Benefit of coming to 
 Church connft in hearing of Sermons ? And if fuch 
 Men do pray to God in private, v/hich is much to be 
 queflioned [h) \ yet is there no Obligation to the 
 
 Duties 
 
 (g) Others there are who acknowledge it is their Duty to wor- 
 ftiio God, but they think they can worlhip God, as well at home 
 as at Church ; that it is not the Place which makes their Prayers 
 more or lefs effeftual, but God hears us wherever we pray, and is 
 always pleas" d even with the iingie and private Devotions of good 
 Men. And theWorld i? fo well ilored with goodBooks, that they can 
 fpend their Time to as good purpoie in reading at Home, as if they 
 went to Church to hear a Sermon. And I need not obferve how 
 many there are who A6t according to thefe Principles. Sherlock 
 on Religuus Jjpfnblies. Part I. ch. ii. p. iii. See Part I I. ch. Hi. 
 And the Excufe here taken notice of by the Learned Dean, as 
 alledged for the negle;51 of attending upon the Public Worlhip, we 
 find made as early as the Time of St Chryfojiom^ who makes men- 
 tion of \l\ and (hews how vain and frivolous it is, by fetting forth the 
 many and fuperior Advantages of PublicDevotion; as theReader may 
 fee in an excellent Pafiage cited out of bis [iomilies by the Learned 
 Mr Bingkam, in his Antiquities, Book XX. chap. ii. ^. \\. 
 
 (h) We fhall never find that a truly Wile and Good Man with- 
 draws himfelf (rom the Communion of Religious AfTemblies. 
 Private Devotion may be a Pretence to juuify the ncgleft of Public 
 "V^'orfnip, but I dare appeal to thefe Mens Confciences that it is 
 never the true Caufe. For iVIen who do heartily delire to worfliip 
 G d, Vv'iil choofe to vvorfhip Kim in the bell and moil foiemn 
 Manner, that is, in the public AfTemblies oi Chrifiians. Sherlock 
 ibid. p. 115. God inftituted Public Times of Worlliip (among 
 the 'Jews) and fuch Times as thefe are defcnbed by calling J£e?n- 
 blies zxi^ folemn AUetings ', Jfa. i. 13, tecaufe then they m.et to- 
 gether for public Worlhip. For indeed it fcems to be a Contradi- 
 
 ^ion 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 1 1 9 
 
 Duties of public Prayer and Thankfgiving (i)? and is it 
 of no confequence to partake of thofe Divine Ordi- 
 nances, which are the neceffary Means of conveying 
 the Grace of God and His Holy Spirit tons (k) ? Sure 
 if there had not been fome greater Benefit and Advan- 
 tage in the Communion of the Church than many of 
 us are apt to think ; v^^e fhouifl not have heard Holy 
 Baruid complaining {o pathetically as he does in the 
 Ixxxiv Pfalm upon his being banifhed from the Smc- 
 tuary ; O how amiable are thy Tabernacles thcpi Lord of 
 Hofts ! My Soul longeth^ yea even fainteth for the Courts 
 of the Lord^ my Heart and iny FlefJo crleth cut for the 
 
 I 4 Livino- 
 
 -ftion to appoint public and folemn Tim^s for private Worfhip. 
 Jf Men are bound to worfiiip God only in private, there is no 
 need of public Days of Reft dedicated to God's Worfhip ; for every 
 Man may take his own Time for it, as he finds moil convenient and 
 ufeful. Bat fixed and Jiated Times of Wcrlhip do neceffarily 
 fuppofe public Worfhip, and evidently prove thit Solemn and 
 Public Days for Worfhip, ar^ not fanftified merely by Private Ads 
 of Worfhip. Sherlock, ibid. p. 123. They (the Primitive Chri' 
 Jiians) did not think it enough Xo r^ad and pray, and praife God 
 2.1 Home .^ but made Confcience of appearing in the Public AfTem- 
 bJies, from which nothing but Sicknefs and abfolute Necefiity did 
 detain them : and if Sick or in Prifon or under Banifnment nothing 
 troubled them more than that they could not come to Church, 
 and join their Devotions to the common Services, U Ferfecution 
 at any time forced them to keep a little clofe, )'Q.t no fconer was 
 there the leaft Mitigation, but they prefently returned to their open 
 Duty, and publickly met altogether. No trivial Pretenfes, no light 
 Excufes were then admitted, for any ones Abfence from the Con^ 
 gregation, but according to the Merit of the Caufe fevere Cen- 
 fures were pafTed upon them. Dr Caves Primitive Chrijlianity, 
 Part I. ch. vii. 
 
 (i) Although God has promifcd to hear us when we pray pri- 
 vately^ fo it be done faithfully and devoutly, yet by the Plitlory; 
 of the Bible it appeareth, that public and comm'on Prayer is moll* 
 available before God ; and therefore it is much to be lamented that 
 it is no better elleemed among us, who profeCs to be bur one Body 
 in Chri/i, Homily of the Church concerningCommon Pra^jevand Sa^ 
 irametits. 
 
 (k) Seep, 113, 114. 
 

 1 2 o A DifcQurfe concerning the 
 
 LrSing God (/). ver. i, 2. And again ^vr. 10. 0^ 
 Bay in Thy Courts is heiter than a ihoiifand, Neitl; 
 would he have expreffed fo much Zeal for the Buildrig 
 of the Temple -, ("as he had before done in preparing 
 a Tabernacle or Reception for the Ark. Tfalm cxxxii. 
 I to 6.) Andtho' God did not approve of his doing it 
 in his own Perfon, but in that of Solcmon his Son (jn) ; 
 yet fure we fhould not have found his good Defign fo 
 well accepted by God, and fo great a Reward and 
 Bieffing promifed to Him upon that Account, if it 
 had not been a Matter of great Confequence and Im- 
 portance to Kis Honour and Glory. "Thy houfe and. 
 thy Kinordom^ fays God, fiallhe eftaUiJhed for ever before 
 thee. 'Thy Throne floallhc eftahlifhedfor ever. 1 Sam. vii. 16. 
 Neither would the antient Men among the Jezvs have 
 wept with fo loud a Voice even at the Building of the 
 fecond Temple •, when they obferved how fnort it 
 came of the Glory of the firil: Temple: Ezra. iii. 12. 
 It being abfjrd to imagine that they fhould exprefs fo 
 much Zeal and PafTion for the outward Fabrick and 
 Strudure upon any other Account, than as it had Re- 
 lation to thtpiliic Worfliip and Service of God which 
 was offered up therein. Neither would the Heathens 
 themfelves, when they were befieged by the Enemy, 
 have been fo zealous and diligent in faving their 
 Temples and Places of God's Worfhip, at the fame 
 Time that they negledled the Care of their own Houfes, 
 Families, and Fortunes •, as an eminent Divine hath 
 well obferved (n). Neither, would the antient Princes 
 and Nations of the World, have employed their 
 
 Riches 
 
 (I) Devotion opens the Mind to great Conceptions, and fills it 
 with moTQ fublime Ideas than any that are to be met with in tlie 
 moll Exalted Science. And at the fame Time warms and agitates, 
 ■&Q Soul more than Seniual Pleafure. Mr Addijon in SpeBa- 
 for. N° 201. 
 
 (nO Fid. 2 Sam. vii. i Chron. xxii. 2 Chron. vi, 8j 9. 
 
 iv) I^ean Tourg'^ Sermons. Vol. I. p. 28p. 
 
Religious Obfervaflon of the Lord'^; Day. 121 
 Riches and moft ingenious Inventions of Architecture, 
 in building Temples for the Worfhip of their Gods *, as 
 is to be feen every where in Pagan Hiftory. Neither, 
 in cafe it fo happened ('as it muft needs do fometimes, 
 through the Defolations of War, and the Iniquity of 
 the Agej that any of their Temples were deftroyed, 
 or fell to Decay •, would they have reckoned it a 
 Mark of Impiety and Wickednefs, to negle6t the 
 Rebuilding and Repairing of them (0), Our Bleffed 
 Saviour would not fo earneftly have exhorted Men to 
 fray always and not to faint ^ Luke xviii, i. and by 
 His own Example have fhewn them the NecefTity and 
 Benefit of Church Communion ; if it had been a 
 Matter of fo great Indifferency (p). And furely God 
 Almighty would not have fo exprefsly declared upon 
 the Building of Solomen's Temple, that His Eyes/hotdd 
 he open^ and His Ears attent unto the Prayers of His 
 People which were made in that Place ^ and that His Eyes 
 and His Heart fbould he there perpetually \ 2 Chron. vii. 
 15, 16. if public Devotion had not been of the 
 greateft Service and Advantage to Mankind. And 
 doubdefs, the Primitive Penitents would not with fuch 
 Showers of Tears have bewailed their Misfortune ia 
 being excluded from the Church, and fo devoutly beg- 
 ged the Prayers of the Faithful -, if they were of fa 
 little Yalue and Efteem (q). Neither would the an- 
 
 tient 
 
 (0) Cur eget indigmis quifqunm Te D'lvite P ^uare 
 Tempk ruunt antiqua Deum ? Cur^ improbe, cars. 
 Non aliquid P atria anto emetiris acervo ? 
 
 Horat. Satyr, lib. ii. Sat. ii, 
 (/>) ^ee above, p. 115. 
 
 \q) He that without a neceflary Caufc abfents himfelf from pub» 
 lie Prayers, cuts himfelf ofF from the Church; which hath always 
 been thought fo unhappy a thing, that it is the greateft Punifhment 
 the Governours of the Church can lay upon the worft Offenders ; 
 and therefore it is a ftrangeJVIadnefs forMen to inflifl it upon them- 
 klvQsWbo/e Duty of Man. Sund.K^. 1 1 .Vid. TertuU. de Pjenitentia. 
 See alfo the Homily of our Church, concerning the right Ufe of th 
 Churchy Part II. towards the End, 
 
122 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 tient Fathers of the Church fo conflantly have exhort- 
 ed Men to Church Communion, and to partake of 
 the Divine Ordinances of the Gofpel ; as the beft 
 Means to overcome the Temptations of the Devil (r) . 
 And to fay no more *, if the public Worfhip and Ser- 
 vice of God had not been a Matter of the utmoft Ne- 
 ceflity and Advantage, I am fure the Prmitive Chrif- 
 iians were infatuated and bewitched beyond Meafure ; 
 in expofmg themfelves to fo many Hazards and Dan- 
 gers, as they repaired to the Places of Divine Service : 
 Of which many Inftances are to be met with in Eccle- 
 fiaftical Hiftory, during the Ten Perfecutions. But 
 one of the moft remarkable of all, was thai under 
 ^milian who was the Roman Governour of Egypt in 
 the Reign of the Emperor Valerian, This Deputy 
 was a bitter Enemy to the Cbrijlians, and refolved to 
 do the utmoft he could to prevent their Meeting at 
 their Affemblies. Many of them he killed with all 
 the Arts of Cruelty *, fome he kept alive for the Rack 
 and Torture ; and others were loaded v/ith heavy 
 Chains, and thruft down into loathfome Dungeons, 
 the Prefence of their neareft Relations and Friends be- 
 ing denied to them. And yet notwithftanding all 
 thefe fevere proceedings, he could not keep back the 
 Chrlfttans of Alexandria from their AfTemblies ; nor 
 terrify them from the Performance of that Duty 
 which they owed to God (5) : which ought to make 
 many Thoufand Chrijiians among us blulh and afhamcd 
 
 of 
 
 At o^vvciu-ci': ^ '^alavA, ''&C. Igiiat- Epifi, adElhef. 
 
 {s) Vid. Eufeb. EccL Hiji Hi?, mi. cap. x. ^uotidie ohfidewur 
 CUDtidie prodimuTy in ipfis plurimum Catibus & Congregatjonibus 
 ■noftris oiprimimur. Tertullian. Apolog cap. vii. See aijo Bing- 
 ham's Antiquities, Book XX. chap. li. §. 8, in which there are 
 fome Remarkable Inftances given of the great Sufferings and Per- 
 fecutions of the Ciniiiiam in the time of their Afiemblies, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord*s Day. 123 
 
 of themfelves, upon the Account of thofe trivial 
 and fcandaloiis Excufes which they often make for 
 abfenting themfelves from the pubhc Worfhip. 
 
 I^hirdly and lafily. What hath been faid under this 
 Head of the public Worlhip of God, viz, that it is 
 ejfential to ReHgion -, and that without it, the Difcharge 
 of Moral Duties will not be available to Salvation ; is 
 a very fevere Reproach to that horrible Profanation of 
 the Lord's Day now growing more and miore cufto- 
 mary in this Kingdom. I am fenfible, that Men are 
 much divided in their Opinions about the Obligation 
 of this Holy Day. Some think that the Duty there- ■ 
 of is fuficiently difcharged by a conftant Attendance 
 upon the public Service, and a grave and ferious Be- 
 haviour and DeportmiCnt therein ; and that after this. 
 Men are entirely at their Liberty as upon all other Days, 
 to indulge themfelves in the Recreations and Diver- 
 fions of this World. And I would to God that all 
 Men had fo much Regard to the Lord's Bay, as to ob- 
 ferve it even thus far. It is to be hoped, (and 1 think 
 there is little doubt to be made of it; that a due Senfe 
 of the Obligation of this Day in this principal Refped, 
 would in Time and by Degrees lead them to acknow- 
 ledge it's Obligation in all others. But other Perfons 
 think that the whole Day is holy, and ought to be de- 
 dicated to the Service of God and Divine Things ; 
 and that after Men have attended upon the Wor- 
 fhip of God in His Church, they ihould retire 
 Home, and fpend fome confiderable Part of the remaining 
 Time, in reading the Holy Scriptures, in medita- 
 ting upon Heavenly Things, and^ in the Inilrudion 
 of their Families. I {liall not enter nov/ into this 
 Difpute, which will be fully confidered in it's proper 
 Place. At prefent I fhall only obferve thus much, 
 that the latter is at leafl the zvifeft and the fafefi Way, 
 and, as will be feen hereafter, not only' tii^ antient 
 Fathers of the Chriftian Church, but the mofi Pious 
 ^nd Learned Men of our own Church have ever been 
 
 of 
 
124. A Difcourfe concernmg the 
 
 of that Opinion. But be that as it will ; all Chrijlian 
 Writers allow that the Attendance upon the public 
 Worfhip of God at the Hated Times and Seafons of 
 it, is every Mans ahfolute and hounden Duty ; and that 
 unlefs it be in Cafe of Sicknefs or fome very neceffary 
 Caufe, no Man can abfent himfelf without Sin. We 
 need not be at any Pains to inform Men of this ; the 
 very Heathens themfelves w^ill acquaint them with it. 
 And if this be true. Good God ! what Judgment can 
 we pafs upon that ivicked and i7npmis Cuftom, which 
 prevails among all Orders and Degrees of Men in 
 the Nation, and efpecially among Perfons of Fafhion 
 and Diftindion, of vifiting their Friends and Ac- 
 quaintance even in the Time of God's Worfhip -, and 
 thereby not only neglecting the Service of God them- 
 felves, but keeping others back that would attend up- 
 on it. Which is much like the Temper of the Pha- 
 rifees, as our BleiTed Saviour obferved : Ibey would 
 neiiher go into the Kingdom of Heaven themfelves y nor ft f- 
 fer thofe that were entering to go in. Matt, xxin, 13. I 
 know indeed that Men have fomething to fay in Ex- 
 cufe for thenifelves in this Negled:, as viz. that they 
 have no other Opportunity of feeing their Friends, or 
 that the Bufinefs that they go about is of fuch Confe- 
 Ojuence that it cannot be deterred to any ether Time. 
 This is for the moil Part nothing but Pretence. And 
 I would beg of every Man to confider, that there is 
 fcarce any Sin fo great •, for which the Devil will not 
 furnifh Men with fome Excufe or other, in order to 
 make them eafy, and to quiet their Confciences as well 
 as he can. But however Men may for the pre- 
 fent fatisfy themfelves in fuch Cafes, yet they may reft 
 allured, that God Almiighty will not be impofed upon. 
 He hath plainly told us the great Danger of breaking 
 His Laws. He hath let us know that there is one '^hing 
 Qieedful above all others. Liikex. 42. That we muft 
 Jeek the Kingdoin of God and the Righteoufnefs there- 
 of in the firfi Places Matt, Yu '^'^^ And our Bleffed 
 
 Saviour 
 
Religms Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 125 
 
 Saviour has in a diftindt Parable fhewed us the Folly 
 and Danger of making any vain and idle Excufes in 
 the Negled of the Service and Duty which we owe to 
 God. LukexiY. 16, (£c. When the Men in that 
 Parable refufed the Invitation to the good Man's Sup- 
 per, they thought it a very fufficient Excufe, the one 
 of them, that he had bought a Piece of Ground^ and he muft 
 Heeds go and fee it ; the fecond, that he had bought five 
 Yoke of Oxen, and he mufi go and prove them ; and the 
 third, that he had marry ed a JVife^ and therefore 
 he could not come. Thefe were the Excufes which 
 they made for themfelves : and they mud at lead be 
 allowed to be as good as thofs v/hich Men do now 
 commonly make, for the Negledl of God's public 
 Worfhip and Service. But yet our BleiTed Saviour 
 tells us, they were not accepted by the good Man ; 
 but that notwithftanding their Pretences, He zvas angry 
 with them^ and refolved that none of them Jhould tafte of 
 His Supper. And I very much fear, that Men will 
 meet with the fame Judgment in the other World, for 
 the Negledl of God's public Worfhip v/hich I have 
 been confidering -, according to that folemn Declaration 
 of Scripture, whichGod will make good at thelaft Day ; 
 ^bem that honour Me., faith God, I will honour., and they 
 that defpife Me jhall be lightly eflee?ned. 1 Sam. ii. 30. 
 
 And thus I have finifhed what I propofed to confi- 
 der upon this Point, concerning the NeceiTity and Ad- 
 vantage of attending upon. the public Worfn-ip and 
 Service of God. I fhall only before I proceed any 
 farther, beg leave to obferve the Particular Happinefs 
 which thofe of us enjoy in this Refpect, who are the 
 Members of the Eftablifhed Church. For we have an 
 JExcellent and well compofed Liuirgy, which is not 
 only agreeable to the beft and moil primitive Patterns ; 
 but is alfo fo fully expreflive of all our Wants, and fo 
 well contrived and digeiled in all it's Parts ; that when- 
 ever we offer up our Devotions to God therein, we 
 may afllire our felves that we worlhip Him in the bed 
 
 Manner 
 
126 A Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 Manner we are able •, and that we are equally freed 
 from the Idolatry and Superftition which infeparably 
 adhere to all Popifh Compofitions, and from the Ex- 
 travagancies and Indecencies of Extemporary Effiifi- 
 ons. And indeed were it not very manifeil that Pre- 
 judice of Education will incline Men to any Way of 
 Thinking, and make them infinitely zealous in judging 
 ot and condemning many Things, which they never 
 underllood nor perhaps once confidered in their whole 
 Lives •, one would think it impoiTible that ever That 
 fliould have been made an Objection againft the Church , 
 which is one of the Greatelft Glories and Ornaments 
 thereof. But however other Perfons may judge in this 
 Matter*, let all us who are Members of the Church, be 
 tliankful to God for the great BleiTings which we enjoy. 
 To this End, Let us always fet a great Value and 
 Efteem upon our Public Liturgy, and take all Oppor- 
 tunities of joining in the Ofiices and Devotions thereof. 
 And whenfoever v/e do apply our felves to this great 
 Duty of God's Worlhip, let us confider in what Man- 
 ner we ought to prepare our felves for it : viz. by keep- 
 ing our Foot., when we go into the Houfe of God., Ecclef, 
 V. I . (0 and by letting our Hearts and Affedions ac- 
 company our Devotions {u). Then v/e need not doubt 
 but that God v/ill hear us, when we Worfhip Hi?n in the 
 Beauty of Holinefs^ PfaL xxix. 2 . and when we -prefent 
 our felves a living Sacrifice^ holy and acceptable unto Hifn, 
 Rom, xii. i. 
 
 (t) See a Difcourfe concerning the great and indifpen fable Duty 
 of a Reverent Behaviour in God's Church, written by the late 
 Pious and Learned Dr IFe/ls. See alfo the SpeSlator N**. 259, 
 460, m vv^hich there are fome very ufeful Oblervations to this 
 Purpoi'e; and an Account of the horrible Offence and Scandal, 
 which to J many Perfons among us give by their Indecent and 
 Ridiculous Behaviour in the Time of God's Public Worfliip. 
 
 TIK0V iJL^Ti Kiy- y-nTi '^^7%* Symbol. Pythag. apud Hierocl. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
Religious Obfervation ^/^ //&^ Lord's Day. 127 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Concerning the Duty of Reading the HOLT 
 SCRIPT'URES. 
 
 T is not my Defign in treating upon 
 this Particular, to enlarge upon the 
 great Weaknefs and InfufEciency of 
 natural Reafon ; and thereby to Ihew 
 the Neceifity of a Divine Revela- 
 tion, for the Inftrudtion and Salva- 
 tion of Mankind. For the prefent 
 Difcourfe is direded only to profeffed Chriftians who 
 are fatisfied of this great Truth, and fully convinced 
 of the Duty and Obligation of reading the Scriptures ; 
 tho' by the Cares of the World, and the Pleafures of 
 Life, they are too often interrupted in the Difcharge of 
 it. And befides it is a Subje6l that hath been of late 
 compleatly handled by many Excellent Writers, from 
 whom any one that is defirous of it, may receive entire 
 Satisfa6lion in that Matter (x). But diat which I pro- 
 pofe at this Time, is to awaken the Carelefs and Neg- 
 ligent among us •, and by proper Arguments and Mo- 
 tives to excite them to the Fra6tice of this great Duty 
 of a diligent and conftant Reading of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures 
 
 (x) See particularly Bifhop Gibfofi's fecond Pailoral Letter. Dr 
 Samuel C/arke's Sermons at Boy/e's Ledlures, Vol. II>Prop. 5, 6,7, 
 
12 8 "^A BifcoiiYfe concerning fhe 
 
 tures. In doing which I fliall follow this Method. 
 Firft I fhall lliew the Neceflity of this Duty of reading 
 the Holy Scriptures. Secondly I Ihall confider the 
 great Benefits and Advantages thereof And in the 
 'I'hird place I fhall obferve the great Sin and Danger of 
 Kegledling this Duty. And then I fhall make a brief 
 Application of the Argument to the Subjed of the 
 prefent Difcourfe. 
 
 And Firft then^ I am to. fliew the Neceflity of this 
 Duty, of reading the Holy Scriptures. Now this 
 will plainly appear from thefe two Confiderations. 
 
 Fhft^ From the Nature and Defign of thefe Holy 
 Writings. For fince it hath pleafed God to fend 
 His Only Begotten Son info the V/orld to make a 
 Difcovery and Revelation of His Will ; it mufl cer- 
 tainly be His Defign in this Difpenfation, that all Men 
 Hiould carefully attend to the MelTage, and duly ex~ 
 amine the Contents of it. To negledl to do this, is 
 to defpife the Gift of God, and to render it contempt- 
 ible : and how great an Affront to God that is, may 
 eafily be judged of, not only from the Excellency of 
 the Revelation itfelf, but alfofrom the Dignity of that 
 Divine Perfon who is the Difpenfer thereof This 
 Argument the Apoftle clearly infifts upon, in Heh. ii. 
 I, 2, 3. Therefore (faith he) zve ought to givs the more 
 earneft heed to the Things which we have heard^ left at 
 any Ti7?ie we JJmdd let them ftip. For if the JVordfpoken 
 hy Angels was fledfaft^ and every Tranfgrejfwn and Bifo- 
 hedience received ajuft Recof?ipence of Reward -, how ffoall 
 we efcape^ if we negle^ fo great Salvation^ which at the 
 firft began to he fpoken by the Lord. And our BJelTed 
 Saviour in a difiind Parable plainly aggravates the Sin 
 of the Jews^ in their bafe and ignominious Treatmjent 
 of Him ; on the Account of the Excellency and Dig- 
 nity of His Perfon. Matt. xxi. 0,7,., &c. Whofo- 
 ever therttcre neglefts to read the Holy Scriptures, 
 He not only defpifes the beft Philofophy that ever the 
 World has been acquainted with j but alfo refufes to 
 
 hear 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 129 
 
 hear the Son of God Himfelf, who is EJfentid Truth, 
 and Eternal Wifdom : and who not only came down 
 from Flis Father's Bofom to make a Difcovery of His 
 Will to Mankind, but alfo cloathed Himfelf in Fleih, 
 and fubmitted to all the Infirmities and SuTerings of 
 our Nature, in order to render it the more Eifedual. 
 And therefore how heinous an Affront it muit be unto 
 God, as well as bafe Ingratitude to our BlelTed Sa- 
 viour Himfelf, to negled and defpife the gracious 
 MelTage which He hath brought to us, every one may 
 eafily judge. I fhall therefore conclude this Point with 
 thofe remarkable Words of St Paul, Heh. xii. 25. See 
 that ye refufe not Eim that fpeaketh ; for if they efcaped 
 not who refufcdhijn that /pake on Earth ; much more Jhall 
 not we efcape^ if we turn away from Him that fpeaketh 
 fro7n Heaven, But, 
 
 Secondly, The NecefTity of this Duty of reading the 
 Holy Scriptures will be very clear and evident from 
 many exprefs Diredions which are given to this Pur- 
 pofe in the Sacred Writings. Thus Mofes tells the 
 Jews that he had taught them Statutes and Jiidgw.ents as 
 the Lord commanded him, and therefore that they fhould 
 keep and do them, and teach them to their Sons, and their 
 Sons Sons after them. Bent. iv. 5, 6, 9. And again 
 he commands the Priefts, v/hen all Ifrael was affembled 
 together, to read the Law hefore them in their hearing. 
 And to gather the People together. Men, and Women, and 
 Children, and the Stranger that was, within their GateSy 
 that they might hear and learn, and fear the Lord their 
 God, and ohferve to do all the Words of their Lzw, Deut. 
 xxxi. II, 12. And what the fame Prophet obferved 
 of their King, might be juftly applied to every other 
 Perfon among them. The Law fhall he with hmi, and 
 he fhall read therein all the Bays of his Ufe, that he may 
 learn to fear the Lord his God. Bent. xvii. 19, So 
 likewife the Prophet Ifaiah required the Jews to feek 
 out of the Book of the Law, and to read, chap, xxxiv. 16. 
 And Joflma tells the People, that the Book of the I aw 
 
 K. /^^^ 
 
130 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 (hall not depart out of thy Mouthy hut thou Jhalt meditate 
 ihereon Day and Night, that thou mayft ohferve to do ac- 
 cording to all that is written therein. Jojh. i. 8. And how 
 very exaft and circumftantial the Divine Precept was 
 in this Particular, is very evident from a remarkable 
 Paflage, where God fpeaks thus to the Jews ; Te/hall 
 lay up thefe tny Words in your Heart, and in your Souly 
 and hind thein for a Sign upon your Hand, that they may 
 he as Frojttlets hetween your Ryes, And ye Jhall teach 
 them your Children, fpeaking of them when thou fittefi 
 in thine Houfe, and when thou walkeft by the Way, 
 and when thou lieft down and when thou rifefi up. 
 And thou fhalt write them upon the Door-pfts of thine 
 Houfe, and upon thy Gates. Deut xi. 18, ig, 20. And 
 if we look into the New Teftament we fhall find our 
 BlelTed Saviour and His Apoftles plainly diredling us 
 to this Duty. Thus our BlelTed Saviour commands 
 us to fear eh the Scriptures, John v. 39. and puts the 
 Proof and Teftimony of His Divine Authority and 
 MifTion thereupon. And St Paul commends Timothy 
 in that he knew the Scriptures from a Child, 2 Tim. iii. 
 15. And in another Place, he requires him to give 
 Attendance to Reading, as well as to Exhortation and Do- 
 olrine. i Tim. iv. 13. And to fay no more in fo plain 
 ^ Matter ; the NecelTity of reading the Holy Scrip- 
 tures is very evident from the Anfwer which Abraham 
 gave to the rich Man in the Parable, when he begged 
 of him to fend hazarus to his Father's Houfe to tefli- 
 fi unto his Brethren, left they:, fhould alfo come into 
 that Place of Torment ; they have, faith he, Mofes and 
 the Prophets, let them hear them. Luke xvi. 29. Here- 
 by plainly fignifying the Ufe of the Holy Scriptures, 
 as a neceflary and proper Means to fecure Men from 
 Damnation. And as the Holy Scriptures do every 
 where abound with Precepts and Exhortations to the 
 People to read and perufe them •, fo we fhall find the 
 Pradice of all pious and good Men both among 
 Jews and Chriftims to be contormable thereunto. Thus 
 
 fays 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 131 
 
 4ys Holy Bavid^ Lord^ what Love have I unto thy 
 Law^ all the Bay long is my Study in it. Pfalm cxix. 
 ^^. In which Matter his pious and good'' Example 
 was carefully followed by the ancient Jews ; who, 
 though indeed in our BlefTed Saviour's Time they had 
 in a great Meafure weakened the Force and Authority 
 of the Holy Scriptures by their Traditions ; yet they 
 ever had the utmoft Veneration for the Sacred Writings ^ 
 and were fo extremely diligent in the reading of them, 
 and inftruding their Children in them ; that upon this 
 Account, as Jofephus informs us (7), the People be- 
 came fo Jkillful in the Laws, that if one afked any of 
 them concerning them, he would more eafily tell them 
 all than his own N:.me. And how exadly the Modern 
 Jews have copied after this Pattern is well known to 
 every oneCzj. Their great Zeal in the Study of tiieir 
 Scriptures, their Diligence in the Inftrudion of their 
 Children in them, and the early Progrefs a.id Profi- 
 ciency which they make therein, are Matters for which 
 they deferve to be higiily eilieemed and commended ; 
 and in which they may be juftly faid to be a Shame and 
 Reproach to the Generality of Chriftians {a). And if 
 
 K 2 from 
 
 ( v) Jofeph. adv. Apion. lib. ii. See alfo. Revelation Exiimined 
 with Candour, Vol. I p. 232. in which many Particulars of 
 the Jews great Zeal and Regard for the Holy Scriptures are 
 <iifplayed. 
 
 (2: ' See Dr AdMfor^i Prefent State of the Jezvs^ chap. 10. Fur^ 
 r^^j*s Pilgrimage, ib. ii. chap. xiv. p. 105. 
 
 {a) It is the only vifible Reafon of the Jeivs adhering fo firmly 
 to their Religion ; that during the Ten or Twelve Vears o\ their 
 Education their Youth i^re fo much praflifed to the Scriptu-es, to 
 weigh every Word in them, and get them all by Heart : that it is 
 an Admiration to fee how ready both Men and Women among 
 them are at it. Their Rabbles have it to that Perfedlion that they 
 have the '"oncordance of their zvhole Bible, -n their Memories ; 
 which gives them va;l Advantages, whe.i they are to argue with 
 any that are not fo ready as they are in the Scriptures. Our Task 
 is much Ihorrer and eafier, and it is a Reproach y efpecially to us Fro- 
 teftantSy who found our Religion merely on the Scriptures, that we 
 know the ISIew 7-ejiatnent ib little, v/hich cannot be excufed. Bi- 
 Jbop Burnet Qnth Pajieral Carf. chap, viii, p. 169, 
 
132 A Difcoiirfe concernmg the 
 
 from the Jews we pafs to the Primitive Chriflians^ we 
 Ihall find that they ever had the higheft Efteem and 
 Veneration for the Holy Scriptures. There is no one 
 Point which occurs more frequently in the ancient 
 Fathers, and in which they do more unaniniouily a- 
 gree, than in earneftly exhorting tjie People to a care- 
 ful and diligent Reading of the Scriptures. And fo 
 remarkable was the Obedience of the People in this 
 Particular, that they not only duly attended to the 
 public Reading of them in their Churches ; but alfo 
 fpent a confiderable Part of their Time in private^ m 
 a devout Perufil of them. And by this Means they 
 attained to fuch a through and perfc6l Knowledge ot 
 the Chriftia?! Religion ; as by the Divine Affiftance en- 
 abled them to perfevere in the Profeffion thereof, not- 
 vv^ithilanding the moil cruel and barbarous Sufferings. 
 This their Enemies fully perceived ; and therefore a- 
 mong other Methods which they contrived to bring 
 them over to their Idolatry, and to oblige them to re- 
 nounce the Ci?n/'/i^;2 Religion i they at length put out an 
 Order, as particularly under the DzW<f//<^;z Perfecution, 
 that all Chriftians fliould furrender their Bibles, and 
 that they fhould be publickly burnt {h). And though 
 indeed it is not to be denied, that there were feveral 
 Perfons who complied v/ith this Order through fear of 
 Perfecution ; yet the Generality of Chriftians flood 
 firm and immoveable, and did upon this Account as 
 well as others, fubmit to fuch tormenting Deaths and 
 vnfpeakahk Sufferings, as are fcarcely to be parallel'd in 
 the Records of Time {c). And how odious this 
 Crime of delivering up their Bibles was thought 
 by the Church, may appear from hence, that 
 they branded thofe who were guilty of it with 
 the infamous Name of Traditors i and refufed 
 
 to 
 
 (b) Vid. Eufebii Eccl. Hiftor. lib. viii. cap. iii. 
 
 U) See Ecbard's Eccl, Hiftory, Svo, Vol. U, p. 664 to 66S, 
 
Religious Obfervaf ion g/'/fe Lord's Day. 133 
 
 to admit them to their Communion. And how great 
 a Matter of Joy it was to our pious Anceilors in 
 this Kingdom, when the Bible was tranflated into 
 the Vulgar Tongue {d)^ and recommended to every 
 ones Peruflil -, what a hio^h Eiteem and Veneration 
 they had for the Holy Scriptures, and hov/ diligent 
 and conftant they were in the Reading of them ; 
 are Things well known to every Man who hath 
 read the Hiftory of this Kingdom, and efpecialiy 
 that of the RefcrmattGn. I cannot forbear adding 
 upon this Head, that it is a matter of great Sur- 
 prize and Aflonifhment as well as juil Reproach and 
 Scandal to us ; who profefs the fame Pure and Re- 
 formed Religion which they did, and ground our 
 Do6lrine entii-ely upon the Teftimony of the Holy 
 Scripture ; that the Generality of us fhould mani- 
 feft fo great a Negled and Contempt of the facred 
 Writings -, and be more pleafed and delighted with the 
 mod trifling Romance or Novel., than with the Read- 
 ing of the Bible : which not only as we fhall fee 
 prefendy, affords Matter of the greateft Pleafure and 
 
 K 3 Inilruclion 
 
 [d) That the Bib'e was very early t^rflated into the Vulgar 
 Tongue in this Nation, and the great Zeal and Piety which the 
 Princes and Bifhops of thofe Days manifcfted in the doing of it, ap- 
 pears fufficiendy from our Hiflories. Upon which Occafion I fhaJI 
 infert the following Paffage from a Learned Writer, very worthy of 
 our Notice. ^ The Popljh Priefts could not with fo much Confi- 
 ' dence charge us with a Crime, at leaft not v/ith Novelty, in hav- 
 
 * ing the Scripture in our Mother Tongue ; did they know that the 
 ' whole Bible was tranflated into Saxon, our MotherTowgMQ, above 
 « 800 Vears ago by Priefts, great Prelate.', and celebrated Kings of 
 ' England^^to be feen greatPart thereof to this very Day. Kingyf^r^</ 
 
 * with his own Hand tranflated great Part of the Bible into Saxon, 
 ^ which was then the Vulgar Language, and firfl divided the Scrip- 
 
 * ture into Portions to be read on Feilival;. Nay the Saxon Kings 
 
 * not only permitted fuch Tranflation-?, and encouraged them by 
 « their own pious and great Example; but made Laws for 
 
 * eftabliihing "thereof, and for teaching the Scriptures in their 
 
 * own Language.' 'juage Fortefcue'.f Vftface to Chancellor For* 
 tefcue'j Treatife of Abjolute and limited Llenarcbj, p. 69, 
 
134 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Irflrudlion, but alfo contairis the Lively Oracles of 
 Divine Counfel and Eternal Wifdom. And thus 
 having fhewn the Neceflity of this Duty of Read- 
 ing the Holy Scriptures, I proceed in the Second 
 Place^ to confider the great Benefits and Advan- 
 tages of it. Now there are three Things which I fhall 
 mention at prefent, as great Benefits and Advan- 
 vantage of reading the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 The firft Advantage is this, that by this means we are 
 perfedlly acquainted with the vjhole W ill and Pleafure of 
 God ; and with that Duty which He requires in Order 
 to our Salvation -, together with the mod Prevail- 
 ing Arguments and Motives to the Pra6tice of it. 
 Thus fays the Pj ihn/ijl^ 1'be Law of the Lord is 
 ferfeEl^ converting the Soul •, the 'Tejiimony of the Lord 
 is fure^ jnaking wife the fimple, Pf. xix. 7. And 
 St Paul tells 'Timothy that all Scripture is given hy 
 Infpiration of God^ and is profitable for Do^frine, for 
 Reproofs for Corre^iion^ for Inftru^ion in Rigbteoufnefs : 
 that the Man of God may he perfect ^ throughly furnifhed 
 unto all good Works. 2 Tm, iii. 16, 17. And 
 again, he obferves to him more exprefsly, that the 
 Scriptures are ahk to ?nake him zvife unto Salvation^ 
 ver. 15. And this is a Peculiar Excellency of the 
 Chriftian Religion, in which all the Teaching and 
 Inftrudion of Heathen Philofophy was wanting and 
 deficient. Now the Reading of the Holy Scriptures 
 conduces to this End, thefe two Ways. Firfi^ by 
 dear and plain Rules of Duty and Obedience ; fuch 
 as are the Laws and Injundlions of God both in 
 the Old and New Teflament, and particularly thofe, 
 in our BlefTed Saviour's Divine Sermon on the 
 Mount, By v/hich we have a true Notion of Moral 
 Duties ; and by thofe wife Corredions which the 
 Wifdom of God hath made in them from the falfe 
 and abfurd Interpretations of the Jews^ we may 
 plainly perceive the true Senfe and Meaning of them ; 
 ap^ from h^nce may clearly underlland what is that 
 
 good 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 13 ^ 
 
 good and acceptable and perfe5f Will of God. Rom, 
 xii. 2. For this is a Truth that has been always 
 eftabliflied in the Chriftian Church, *(notwithftabding 
 what the Church of Rome pretends to the contrary) 
 that all Matters of Faith and Pradtice are plainly 
 delivered in the Holy Scriptures : fo that whofo- 
 ever reads them with due Attention and is careful 
 to ule the beft Means and Helps to underftand 
 them j fuch as Catechifing, and hearing of God^s 
 Word, and reading of good Books and Comments 
 •upon them, and the like, cannot well be ignorant in 
 any necefTary and efTential Part of Chriftian Duty (?). 
 For theie are the Books which Ihew us what is good^ 
 and what the Lord doth require of us •, Mic. vi. 8. 
 which fet before us the Way of life and the Way of Death, 
 Jer, xxi. 8. And which teach us what we muft do to 
 he faved, A(5ls xvi. 30. And this Initrudbion we re- 
 ceive not only from the Precepts of Duty which are 
 laid down to us in the Holy Scriptures, but alfo ("which 
 is the Second W^y)y by thofe many bright znd Joining 
 Examples of Piety and Virtue, which are therein pro- 
 pounded to our Imitation ; and particularly that of 
 our Blefled Saviour, who did no Sin, neither was Guile 
 found in His Mouth ', i Pet, ii. 22. and who in every 
 Inftance of Holinefs and Righteoufnefs as well as Pa- 
 tience and Meeknefs under Sufferings, hath left us an 
 Example that we jhould follow His Steps : ver, 2 1 . And 
 likewife the Example of the Holy Apoftles, whofe 
 Faith we Jhould follow, confidering the End of their Con- 
 verfation, Heb. xiii. 7. Which Examples are of 
 great Benefit and Advantage to us, not only as they 
 give Life and Strength to the Precepts of the Gofpel, 
 by .clearly Shewing us that they are really pradicable v 
 
 but 
 
 {e) Vid, Tillotfon. Vol. I. p. 22g. 352. 659. 682. Dr Ben-* 
 pet's Confutation of Popery. Part. I. chap, xi, fackjQ^% Remarks 
 vt Q^rifiianity as old as the Creation, p, 12, 
 
136 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 but alfo as they tend in their own Nature to excite our 
 Zeal, and to animate us with due Vigour and Refolu- 
 tion in the Imitatioji of them. And then the moreeffedlu- 
 ally to encourage us to the Pradlice of Chrifiian Piety 
 and Viitue •, we lliall by the Reading of Scripture 
 difcover two Things of tlie greatefb Importance and 
 Confequence to our Happinefs, which God hath 
 promifed us •, and which are in a great Meafure Pecu- 
 liar to our Holy Religion. The Firfty is the Graci- 
 ous Gift of God's Holy Spirit, which He hath promi- 
 fed to befiow upon us, on Condition of our hearty and 
 fervent Prayer, and receiving the Sacram.ent ; as was 
 before obferved (f). The Second is the Confideration of 
 that Glorious State of Immortality which the Gofpel 
 propofes as the Certain Reward of our finccre and faith- 
 ful Obedience. And this Encouragement is the DiJIm- 
 guijhmg (g) Privilege and Blefling of Chrijiianity, in 
 which all Heathen Philofophy was dubious and uncertain : 
 fo juft is that Obfervation of St Paul^ that Chrift hath 
 brought Light aiid hmnortality to light by the GofpeL 
 2 Tim. i. 10. Thefe are the Benefits of Reading the 
 Scriptures : and to them who underftand their own 
 Intereft, and the Value of Eternal Life and Happi- 
 nefs -, they muf L be efteemed infinitely beyond the higheft 
 Honours and the greateft Riches and Pleafures of 
 this World. Well therefore mught the Pfalmift pro- 
 nounce that Man hlejfed and happy ^ whcfe Delight is in 
 the Law of the Lord, and who meditates thereon Day and 
 Night. Pfal i. I, 2. But, 
 
 Secondly^ Another great Benefit and Advantage of 
 reading the Holy Scriptures is this, that hereby we fhall 
 
 be 
 
 (f) See above p. 114, 
 
 (g) This I know is a Point which is ftrenuoufl)- denied by our 
 Modern Jniide^s ; but neverthelefs it hath been clearly demon- 
 itrated from fevera! genuine Paflagee of the beft Heathen Writers, 
 by many Learned Defenders of the Chrifiian Religion. In faying 
 
 which 
 
Religious Obfervation of the hovd'sDzy 137 
 
 be able to find out the Truth in thofe different and 
 contradidory Do6trines which are taught in the World, 
 
 and 
 
 which we do not mean that the antient Pagans did not believe the 
 Immortality of the Soul, and a Future State, for this appears un- 
 deniably from innumerable Places in their Writings ; but we aflert 
 that their Belief of this great Point was not fo fixed and iledfaft 
 as to free them from all Doubts and Uncertainty about the Truth 
 of it. And this I fay is what many Learned Chriflian Writers 
 have clearly demonftrated. I fhall beg leave in thi^ Place to tran- 
 fcribe a PaiTage from an Eminent Author to this Purpofc, that we 
 may the better perceive the ineftimable Advantage we enjoy by the 
 Chriftian Revelation ; and for the Sake of fuch into whofe Hands 
 this Difcourfe may fall, who may not be fo happy as to have pe- 
 rufed that excellent Treatife from which it is taken. Cicero (fays 
 he) enumerating the Opinions of Philofophers upon this Head, 
 (Tufc. ^eji. lib. i.) not only afTerts what every one knows 
 to be true, that the whole Se6l of Epicureans disbeUeved the 
 Soul's Immortality, but adds, that many of the moft learned 
 Philofophers were of the fame Opinion ; and he particularly men- 
 tions two of great Note among them ; one, who in his Writings 
 had avowedly argued againft it, and another who had profelTedly 
 written three Books to confute it. He tells us further that tho* 
 the Sioics believed that the Soul re p.ained after Death fjr fome 
 ^ime^ ytt they did not believe it was immortal. And even 6"^- 
 crates and Cicero, who were peculiarly favourable to the Do6lrine 
 of the Immortality of the Soul, do yet difcover fome Doubt and 
 Uncertainty about it. 
 
 Socrates, a little before his Death, tells his Friends, he had good 
 Hope of fome Sort of Being, when this Life was at an End ; buc af- 
 ter that he fpeaks doubtfully, and fays, 'Tho* he fhould be millaken, 
 " he did at leaft gain thus much, that the Expe£tation of it made 
 «' him lefs uneafy while he lived, and his Error would die with him/ 
 and he concludes, *' I am going out of the World, and you are 
 *' to continue in it ; which of us has the better Part, is a Secret 
 «' to every one but God'\Fid Plato. inPhad. & inApol. Socrat.) 
 And Cicero fpeaking of the feveral Opinions concerning the Nature 
 and Duration of the Soul {Tujc. ^ejf. lib. i.) (lys " Which of 
 *' thefe is true God alone knows j and which is moft probable, is a 
 «» very great Quellion." And he introduces one complaining, 
 ^* That whilft he was reading the Arguments for the Immortality 
 *' of the Soul, he thought himfelf convinced ; but as foon as he 
 *' laid afide the Book, and began to reafon with himfelf, his Con- 
 '^ yidion was gone." All which gave Seneca jufi Occafion to 
 
 fay 
 
138 A Dtfcourfe concerning the 
 
 and by that Mark to diflinguilh the true Church* 
 We are not bound to believe any Perfon or Church » 
 let diem pretend never fo much to Infallibility ; 'til^ 
 we have compared their Do6lrines with Holy Scripture* 
 and by that judge of their Goodnefs and Truth. TO 
 the Law and to th^ Tefth?iony^ as the Prophet fpeaks 5 
 and let Men be never fo pcfitive and confident^ yet if 
 they /peak not according to this TVord^ it is hecaufe there 
 is no Light in them. Ifa, viii. 20. This is likewife the 
 Judgment of St Pari, i Thejf. v. 21. Prove all 
 things, i. e. try and examine all Dodtrines and Pre- 
 cepts by the certain Rules of Reafon and Revelation : 
 and then it follows, hold faft that which is good. And 
 St John diredts us, 7iot to believe every Spirit ^ hut to try 
 the Spirits whether they are of God : hecaufe 7nany falfe 
 Prophets are gone out into the World, i John, iv. i. 
 And this is what our BleiTed Saviour conftantly ob- 
 fcrved in all His Converfation. He never defired 
 any Man to believe Him Uindly and implicitly without 
 good Tellimony : fo far from this., that he often com- 
 mends Perfons for reafoning upon His Dodtrine ; as 
 you may particularly obferve in the Cafe of the Centu- 
 rion^ Mati viii. 8 to^ii. And the Woman of C^- 
 Tiaan Matt. xv. 22 to 28 (h). And in John. v« 
 o^(^. He defires the Jews to fearch the Scriptures^ 
 and puts the Caufe of His Divine MifTion upon 
 the Teilimony of them. And in another Part of 
 the fame Chapter, He tells the Jews that the true Rea- 
 fon v/hy they did not believe in Him, was becaufe they 
 did not believe the Scriptures. Had you believed Mofes^ 
 fliys our BleiTed hordy you would have believed Me, for he 
 
 Wrote 
 
 hy {Epift. 102.) " That Immortality, however defireable, was 
 *« i2.\\\tx promijed \.\iW.frovei^ by thofe great Men.'' Bijhop Gih- 
 ibn'j Second Paftoral Letter, p. 17. 18. See alfo Dr Sam. Clarke V 
 Sermons at BoyleV Lectures. Part. II. Prop. vi. § . 9 Tillotfon 
 Vol. III. p. 133, 134. Grot, de Verit. Chriftianse Relig. lib. 
 ii. §. 9. cum Annot. in loc. 
 
 [h) S£e Tillotfon's Work?, Vol. II. P, i8. Burnet, | Artie, 
 YJX, p. 185. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 139 
 
 wrote of Me ; hut if ye believe not his Writings^ how 
 Jhall ye believe My Words ? ver. 46. 47. Nay fo far 
 is it from being a Crime to read the Holy Scriptures^ 
 and to compare Dodrines with their Teftimony ; that 
 Perfons are therein commended for Examining the Do- 
 ctrines of the Apoftles themfelves, and comparing 
 them with this Rule. Thus we read in A5ls xvii. 11. 
 that the Bereans were more noble than thofe in ^hejfaloni- 
 ca^ in that they received the Word with all readinefs of 
 Mndy and fearched the Scriptures daily, whether thofe 
 'Things were fo. And therefore it is an arrogant Im- 
 pofition of the Church of Rome, to require us to be- 
 lieve her Dodrines without the Liberty of examining 
 and comparing them with Scripture, The Pretence is 
 fo very abfurd, that it was abfolutely neceffary to find 
 out fome/;rj^;/toto palliate and defend it. And the only 
 one that coi^Jd anfwer the Defign, was to declare that 
 Church to be infallible in all her Determinations and 
 Decifions : which is juft as if a confident Man Ihould 
 exped that we Ihould put out our Eyes, or deny our 
 Senfes -, only that we might take his Word, and be 
 led about by him at his Pleafure. If then we will 
 carefully and diligently read the Scriptures ; we ihall 
 be able to pafs a true Judgment on all thofe difputed 
 and controverted Dodrines, which are of any Mo- 
 ment and Importance to us. For fince God hath 
 given us the Holy Scripture to be the Rule of our 
 Faithy as well as for our Inftrudion in Moral Pre- 
 cepts ; it would be highly abfurd to fuppofe that He 
 Ihould exprefs His Will to us in this Matter fo darkly 
 and obfcurely, that we ihould not be able to find oiit 
 and difcover it, after the mo?ifincere and perfect Exa- 
 mination. But I am fenfible there is one very great 
 Difficulty in the Point I am now upon, which I 
 think it abfolutely neceflary to clear up and explain, 
 before I proceed any farther ; in order to take off all 
 Difcouragement againfl the Reading of the Holy 
 Scriptures, The Difficulty is this 5 if the Holy Scrip- 
 tures 
 
140 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 tures are fo clear and plain in all Things that are necef- 
 fary and ejjential as fome pretend ; how then comes it 
 to pafs, that not only the ignorant and unlearned^ and 
 fuch as are plainly led away by the Violence of Pride 
 and Fa6lion, or the Dominion of Worldly Lufts, 
 fhould think differently on the Doftrines of Scripture •, 
 but that alfo there fhould be the fame Variety of O- 
 pinion and diredl Contradiction of Sentiments among 
 thofe who are eminently Learned, and who (as we have 
 all the Reafpns in the World to think^ are Perfons of 
 dbjbliite Probity and Sincerity ^ and who have been 
 very careful and diligent in the Study of the Holy 
 Scripture, and heartily prayed to God to dired: them 
 in their Enquiries into the Truth of it. And that this 
 is the State of the Chri§lian Wcrid at prefent and hath 
 been for many Ages, every cne mAill readily grant. 
 How then, miay any one fay, fhall I be fare of dif= 
 covering the Truth in all Points that are Effential, by 
 the Study of the Scripture ; when fo many wife^ ho?teft 
 and upright Men, who have ftudied it with the utmoft 
 Diligence and Attention, have exprefsly contradided 
 each other in fuch Points ? This is the Difficulty, an d 
 I freely own that it is a very great one. I'he Fad is 
 very evident, as to the Diverfity and Oppofition of 
 Sentiments in the Chriftian World : and that Man maid: 
 be extremely uncharitable, who fhall judge all thofe 
 who differ from him in Opinion about Matters of 
 Confequence, to be wUfully infmcere. Now tho' it 
 may be impoffible for us ever to conquer this great Dif- 
 ficulty, becaufe we cannot difcern the Hearts of Men, 
 nor difcover in all Cafes v/hat it is which leads them 
 into falfe and erroneous Opinions -, yet on the other 
 fide, there are feveral Confiderations to be offered, 
 which will in a great Meafure extenuate and lejfen 
 this Difficulty, and fully afcertain the Difcovery of 
 the Truth in all neceffary and effendal Matters, to all 
 fuch Perfons who ^2i\\fmcerely and diligently fludy the 
 Holy Scriptures, Ivi order *^ therefore to Hate this 
 
 Matter 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 141 
 
 Matter clearly, it will be neceflary to confider thefe 
 following Particulars. 
 
 Firft^ There are many of thofe who frequently read 
 the Holy Scriptures, who are of fuch 7nean Parts and 
 lozv Apprehenfions, and who through the want of a 
 fit and proper Education, are fo little acquainted v/ith 
 the Language and ExprefTions of Scripture which re- 
 late to the Controverfies of Religion ; that they are 
 abfolutely unable to pafs any Judgment upon them. 
 To fuch Perfons as thefe I do not think, that the Ar- 
 gument I am now upon is to be direded ; nor that 
 the Reading of the Scriptures will be a certain Guide 
 to them in difputed Points. The bell Advice which I 
 can give to fuch Perfons is this ; that they would read 
 the Scriptures as frequendy and diligently as they can, 
 for their Informadon in their Duty ; that they would 
 flick to that which is clear and plain ^ and in all Mat- 
 ters of DiiHculty rely upon their Teacher's. And then 
 what a moft excellent Writer lays down in this Cafe 
 will certainly hold, viz, " That if the Providence 
 " of God hath placed them under fuch Guides as do 
 " feduce them into Error, their Ignorance is invin- 
 '' cible^ and God will not condemn them for it, fo long 
 " as they fmcerely endeavour to do the Will of God 
 " fo far as they know (i). But yet there is thus much 
 to be faid even in the Cafe of thefe Perfons, that if 
 they will read carefully and judge fincerely, and diveft 
 themfelves of all Prejudice ; they will be freed from 
 many fatal and petnicious Errors, which corrupt the 
 Minds of other Men. Particularly they muft fee the 
 great Sin and Danger of worfhipping Angels^ and 
 Saints, and Imao^es, which are fo plainly and e%pref$k 
 condemned in God's Word. Matt, iv. 10. Col, iL 
 18. Rev, xix. 10. Exod.xx, 4, 5. And they can-. 
 
 not 
 
 (0 Tillotfon, Vol. I. p. 228. 
 
142 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 not alfo but difcover the horrible Wickednefi of ha^ 
 ting ^nd per/ecu tifjg thoik: that differ from them ; which 
 is contrary to innumerable Texts of Holy Scripture ; 
 and particularly to thofe where we are ftridly com-^ 
 manded to have love for one another, nay and even 
 for our greateft Enemies. John xiii. 34, 35* MatL 
 V. 43, 44. And by the fame Method, many other 
 dangerous and pernicious Miftakes in Religion may 
 ea/tly be difcovered and prevented. 
 
 Secondly^ Tho' it be very difficult in all Cafes to dif- 
 cover when Men fall into Error through Prejudice and 
 PrepofTeffion, and it is very probable that there are very 
 few Perfons5 if any^ who are not in fome Degree and 
 Meafure affeded with it ; yet on the other fide, it 
 muft be owned that there are fome Cafes in which it is 
 Tiotorious and viftble^ and highly culpable, tho' the Per- 
 fons who are guilty of it, may perhaps not perceive it 
 {o fenftbly as others do. As firft^ Some Men who 
 read the Scriptures frequently, yet never pafs any due 
 Confideration upon them ; nor apply them to the De- 
 termination of thofe Difputes and Controverfies, 
 which they are fenfible are of the greateft Moment 
 and Importance to them. This is a Fault which 
 the Generality of Perfons in all Communions are 
 guilty of. They are all too apt to indulge their 
 Lazinefs and Sloth, and to depend upon the Piety and 
 Judgment of that Church or Party to which they 
 belong ; and to fay as Sym?nachus faid of old, Sequi- 
 mur Majores 7toft'ros^ qui feliciter fecuti funt fuos, 1, e. 
 We follow our Ancefiors^ as they hazily followed their St 
 But it is in a mo^ grofs 2Lndfbameful Manner to be af- 
 cribed to the Church of Rome^ who in the Fourteenth 
 Article of her Creed kt out by Pope Pius IV. and 
 eftablifhed by the Council of 'Trent, hath taken effe- 
 d:ual Care to prevent a fincere Enquiry into the Do- 
 drine of Holy Scripture, by obliging themfelves to 
 receive and interpret it in no Qther_ Senfe, than that 
 
 which 
 
Religms Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 143 
 
 which their Church hath put thereupon {k). Secondly^ 
 Others who read the Scriptures and fpend fomc 
 Thought in the Confideration of them, do yet judge 
 them in a partial Manner. They lay great Strefs 
 and Weight upon all fuch Paffages as make for them, 
 and pafs over thofe very Jlightly that make againft 
 them ; and in Cafe that any Books are publifhed in 
 the Controverfy to clear up and explain the Senfe of 
 Scripture, they will be fure to read only thofe which 
 are on their own Side. By v/hich it is very evident 
 that they do not read in order to form a true Judg- 
 ment upon the Point in Debate, but only to confirm 
 themfelves more ftedfaftly in thofe Opinions which 
 they have already received. This is likewife fo vlfihly 
 the Fault of all Parties, that it cannot but be obferved 
 by every one who hath the lead Acquaintance v/ith 
 the World : but yet it is impolTible to deny that there 
 is a manifeft Difference between the Church of Rojne^ 
 and the Reformed Churches in this Matter. For 
 whereas the Roman Church not only locks up the 
 Scriptures from her People, and forbids them, and 
 fuch as are Converts to her, the reading of Heretical 
 Books as they call them (l) -, it is the Glory of all the 
 Proteftant Churches, that they not only in a ftrid: 
 Manner require all their Members to read the Scrip^ 
 tures, and to examine the Points in Controverfy for 
 themfelves -, but alfo as Tillotfon truly obferved, they 
 do not forbid them the reading of the very bed Books 
 which our Adverfaries have been able to write againft 
 us. "Thirdly, There are other Perfons who, tho' they 
 
 often 
 
 (k) Item facram Scripturam juxta eum fenfum, quem tenuit & 
 tenet fanfta Mater Ecclelia, cujus ed judicare de vero fenfu & 
 interpretatione Sacrarum Scripturarum admitto, nee earn unquara, 
 nifi juxta unanimem Confenfum Patrum accipiam & interpret 
 tabor. 
 
 (/) Fid. StillingfleetV Anfzusr to a Papift, mifreprefented and rf- 
 pre/entedt chap, xx.xiv. p, i^i^ 
 
144 -^ Difcour/e coiicermng the 
 
 often read the Holy Scriptures themfelves, and frame 
 Difcoiirfes out of them for the Benefit and Edification 
 of the People as they pretend, and to confirm them 
 in the true and found ProfefTion of the Chriftian Faith -, 
 yet are guilty of a mofl fhameful SupprefTion of the 
 Truth of Scripture, in order to obftrud a right Judp-- 
 ment upon the Points in Controverfy. This is a 
 Fault, which perhaps the Writers of all Parties may 
 be in fome Meafure guilty of But the Church of 
 Rome is abominably gone afcray in this Particular. In 
 many Books v/hich they have publifhed in the Con- 
 troverfy between us, and for the Confirmadon of their 
 People and Prcfelytes in the ProfefTion of their p'aith ; 
 they not only difguife and fupprefs the true and real 
 Dcftrine of their Church in the moit material and ef- 
 fential Points, that the People, and efpccially the Pro- 
 felytes to them, mJght not be /hocked and furprized at 
 it(m) •, but alfo do frequently ground their Dodlrine 
 
 upon 
 
 (m) This is very vifible in many of the Popijh Wiitings, and 
 efpecially in thofe which are publifhed in Proteftant Kingdoms ; but 
 it is pectiliarh remarkable in a famous Book, which cam.e out about 
 the latter End of King Charlestht lid's Reign, czWcdi A Papiji ?7iif'^ 
 reprefefited and reprefented^ in two Parts or Columns, by J. L. 
 one of the Chuch of Roms. In the firil Column, Cd^Az^ A'PapiJl 
 mijreprefented^ the Author gives fuch an Account of Popery as hath 
 always been given of it by Learned Proteftants ; and this the Au- 
 thor ftyies a Mifreprefentation of Popery. In the fecond Column, 
 called a Papijl repreJcKted.. he gives a quite different and more fa- 
 vourable Character of Po/ery. in order to reconcile the Englijh the 
 better to it, and v/hich he would fain obfrrude upon us as the true 
 and real Toclrine of their Church. Bilhop StilVni? fleet anfwered 
 the Book, and proved that what the Author called a Mifret^re- 
 Jevtaiion of Pi?;^ry, i? the true Charafter and Reprefentation of it : 
 which he hath {o clearly demonfirated from the public Offices^ 
 Catcchifnr,, Decrees, Sentences^ and Councils of that Church, and 
 particularly that of the Council cfTrer.t ; and from the Judgment 
 and Teilimony of the moft Learned Writers in that Communion ; 
 that it is impoffible any juft Reply can be made to it. This Book 
 is very necellary to W read by all fuch Perfons, who w uld under- 
 lland the Controverfy between us and the Church of Rome\ fince 
 it is in vain to argue againft the Errors and Corruptions of that 
 Church, if v»^e cannot prove that Ihe really holda and maintains 
 fuch Errors and Coi ruptions. 
 
ReltgtGiis Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 145 
 
 Upon doubtful and hnpert'inent Texts of Scripture, and 
 at the iame Time, take no notice of fuch as tmtnediate- 
 ly relate to the Points in Queflion, and which are 
 moik full and clear and exprefs againft them. It were 
 very eafy to give many Inftances of this from the 
 Popif:? Writings ; but that I may not be tedious, I 
 v/ill mention only one at prefent : and that is taken 
 from a litde Book lately printed and entituled, APro- 
 fcffion of Cathclic Faith^ extratled out of the Council of 
 Trent hy Pope Pius IV. and now in Ufe for the 
 Reception of Converts into the Churchy &c. In this Book 
 chap. viii. §. 3. concerning the Worfhipping of Angels 
 and Saints^ the Author grounds the Lawfuinefe of this 
 Pra6lice upon two Texts of Scripture, neither of v^hich 
 do in any wife relate to tlie Purpofe for which he brings 
 them. The firft Text is that in Gen xlviii. 15, 16. 
 where Jacob begging a BleiTmg upon the two Sons of 
 Jofeph, Efhraim and Manaffeh^ ufeth thefe Wordsj 
 God before whojn my Fathers Abraham rz/zilfaac didzvalky 
 the God which fed me all my Ufe long unto this Day^ the 
 Angel which redeemed me fro?n all Evil, blefs the Lads. 
 The other Text is in Rev, i. 4, 5. where St John^ 
 fpeaking to the Seven Churches in Afia, fiys, Grace he 
 unto you ajzd Peace from Him which is^ and which was^ 
 and which is to come -, and from the ^tvtv. Spirits which are 
 Vefore His Throne *, and from Jefus Chrift. Now tlio* 
 it be very certain, that in the Firfl; of thefe Texts fas 
 many Learned Writers of the Church of P^ome well 
 knowj by the Angel who redee?ned Jacob is meant our 
 BleiTed Saviour Jefus Chrift, who prefided over the 
 Affairs of the Patriarchal and Jewifh Churches f//)j 
 who is called the Redee?ner by the Prophet Ifa. lix. 20. 
 and by St Paul^ who fhews that Chrift is the Redeemer 
 fnentioned by that Prophet ^ Rom» xi. 26. And whom 
 
 L the 
 
 . (n) Fid. Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. lib. i. cap. n, Dr Scctt'% Chrlaia.i 
 Vik^ Vol. III. ch-.p. vii, p, 233, ^f, 
 
146 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 the fame Prophet flyles the Angel of Go^s Prefeme', 
 chap, Ixiii. 9. And M'J^<;Z7i the MefTeriger, i, f. the 
 Angel of the Covenant, chap. iii. i. ("compare Matt. 
 xi. 10. Mark}, 2. Luke vii. 27J and who when 
 He is called the Angel of the Lord, in fever al Paf- 
 figes of Scripture, yet v/e mny obferve in the fame 
 PafTages that He is often exprefsly ftyled Lord and 
 God {0). And as fuch^ there are innumerable Texts 
 in the Old ^eftament,, where God and Jehovah is fpoken 
 of, which are by the ancient Writers of the Church 
 applied to Him {p) *, and can be applied to no other 
 Perfon (q). And as to the fecond Text, tho' there is 
 no doubt as the beft Expofitors have rendered it (r}y 
 
 by 
 
 ((?) See particularly, Gen. xxiL 15, 16. Exod. iii. 2 toy. and 
 in Ecclef. v. 6. what is rendered from the Hebrew t neither fay 
 thou before the Angela Sec. is read fay thou before God in the Septua' 
 gint, and likewife in fevend of the Old Verfions. 
 
 (f) Via. Dr Waterland's Second Defenfe, Quer, ii. p. 28 to 
 
 33- 
 
 {q\ Fid. Scott, ibid. p. 239 to 242. 
 
 (r) The Holy Ghoft is thought by Learned Men to be here de- 
 scribed by the Charafter of the feven Spirits j becaufe it would be 
 abfurd to fiippofe that in a Petition for Grace and Peace, any 
 Created Being fhould be joined together with God the Father and 
 the Son. And there is no Instance of the like to be found in all 
 the Scripture : and becaufe St . oh>i hinifelf as well as the other 
 Apoftles in their Petitions or Wifhes for Grace and Peace, &c da 
 always beg it from God only. 2 John iii. And it is farther ob- 
 ferved by thefe Interpreters, that the Holy Ghoft is called 'by the 
 Name oiihz feven Spirits^ becaufe His many Gifts have given Him 
 the JName of many Spirits., as you may particularly obferve in If a. 
 xi. 2. and becaufe the Number 'deven among the Jezvs was a 
 Sacred Number importing Peifeftion. And they likewife intimate* 
 that the Holy Ghoft may as well be defcribed by His feveral Gifts, 
 as the Gifts of the Spirit are in Scripture frequently fignifiedby the 
 Spirit Himfelf, as Luke ya. 13. Galat. v. 25. i Theff. iv. 8. 
 Vid. Poii Sv^opf. Critic, in loc, Burnet Artie. I. p. 39. Dr Ben- 
 72£t^s ( orfiitation of Popery^ Part II . chap. xiii. Though it muft 
 not be denied, that there are fome very confiderable Interpreters 
 xvho think that by the feven Spirits are mcnt the Seven Angels 
 v.'ho are faid in ch^p. viii, z, to ftaad before God. And they under- 
 
 ilaad 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 147 
 
 Id/ the feven Spirits is meant the Holy Ghoft ; yet fup- 
 pofing there had been fome Difficulty in the Interpre- 
 tation of thefe Texts -, if our Author had not fup- 
 prefled fome very clear and plain Texts of Scripture 
 which telate to this Matter, but had as he ought to 
 have done, confidered them all together ; it would be 
 impoffihle that any Perfon of common Senfe fhould ever 
 be drawn away by the Scripture Proofs alledged by 
 him to the great Sin of Worfhipping Angels (s). For 
 our Saviour exprefsly obferves in His Anfwer to the 
 Devil (what the Law of God by Mofes had before re- 
 quired) ^hou Jhalt wor/hip the Lord thy Gody and Him 
 only JJoalt thou ferve. Matt, iv. 10. And St PauFs 
 Admonition to the Colojfians was, that they fhould let 
 
 no Man beguile them of their Reward by the Wor- 
 
 Jhipping of Angels, ii. 18. And when St John^ in the 
 Revelations., fell down at the Angel's Feet to worjhip him^ 
 upon his discovering to him the BlefTednefs of thofe 
 who were called to the Marriage Feaft of the Lamb, 
 He immediately forbad him, faying, See thou do it not^ 
 I am thy Fellow Servatit — worfhip God. Rev. xix. 10. 
 See alfoy chap, xxii. 9. All which Texts are as full 
 
 L 2 and 
 
 iland tlie Words of this Text not to he a formal Prayer, but onU' 
 to contain a Wifh and Defire that God and Chrift would fend down 
 Grace and Peace upon the Churches by the Miniftration of Angels. 
 (See particularly Hammond in loc.) But I think ths other Interpre- 
 tation is much the moft probable for the Reafons abovementioned. 
 To which we may add this remarkable Obfervation, ti.at tho' the 
 Beafts and Elders are faid ih chaD. iv. and v. to zvorfkip Him that 
 fttteth upon the Throne, yet the {tvtYi Spirits are never faid to do 
 
 (s) This Author is alfo guilty of another inllance of Suppreffion 
 in this Matter, and that is in fupprefling the true Doftrine and 
 Praftice of the Roman Church in the Worfhip of Angels and Saints : 
 for he denies that they pay true Divine Worfhip to them as they do 
 to God ; but only pray to them for their IntercefTion. [vid. chap. 
 Viii. and ix.) But whether he has not given a falfe Account of th!s 
 Matter, will be evident to any one who will confult chap. ii. and 
 iii. oF Bifhop ^tillingfieef% learned BQQk sbgvementioned-. 
 
148 A Difcotirfe ccncernmg the 
 
 and clear againft the Worlhipping of Angels and Saints^ 
 as it is poflible for any Words to exprefs. Now when 
 in thefe and the like Cafes, I affirm that Men who 
 read the Scriptures and judge of them in this Manner, 
 ^vt plainly led away by Prejudice and PrepoiTeiTion -, it 
 is not my Defign hereby to pafs any Jtidgm.ent upon 
 the Perfons themfelves, who maintain fuch DoiStrines 
 as are manifeftly falfe and erroneous. For I do not 
 know how far thefe Men may be fenfible of their 
 Prejudice, nor what Allowance God Almighty will 
 make for it. And I verily believe ( and I think it 
 would be very hard and uncharitable to deny it) 
 that there have been and are ftill, even in the 
 Church of Ro7jie itfelf, many pious and learned Men, 
 who are fo far from contributing wilfully to the Pro- 
 pagation of Falfhood -, that they would immedately 
 renounce their Errours, if they were made fenfible of 
 them. But the great Prejudice of Education which 
 is common to them with all others, and the peculiar 
 Tendency of many of their Do(5trines to promote 
 their Temporal Intereft and Dominion, caft fuch a 
 Jlrong Byafs upon their Judgments -, as hinders them 
 from a true and impartial Determination in the Con- 
 troverfies of Religion. And above all, their firm 
 and fledfaft Belief of the Infallihility of their Church, 
 hath fuch a powerful Influence upon their Minds ; that 
 by this means if they happen to meet with any Texts, 
 of Scripture which make againfl them, they do not 
 think it neceflary to give them a/7// and cliftin5i Confi- 
 deration : becaufe tho' there might be fome Difficulty 
 in reconciling fuch Texts with the received Opinions, 
 yet they are fully fatisfied that there are other Texts 
 that plainly flivour them -, and fi nee they are fure 
 that the Scripture cannot contradid itfelf, and the 
 Church which is infallible hath ccnfidered the Whole 
 Scripture together, and paiTed a Definitive Sentence 
 on every Particular •, they think it much fafcr and 
 wifcr to reft upon the Judgment of fuch a Church,- 
 
 than 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 149 
 
 than upon the Pri\^ate Interpretation of declared Here- 
 tics and Schifmaiics. This is no doubt the Cafe of 
 many Perfons in the Church of Rome -, with Re- 
 fpedt to the Sincerity of their Perfuafioji, in the many 
 Errours and Corruptions maintained by them. 
 And the like may be applied to many Perfons 
 of other Communions. It is no ftrange Thing to 
 obferve Men very pofitive and peremptory in their O- 
 pinions, notwithftanding, the cleared and plaineft 
 Texts of Scripture which are urged againfb them. 
 Either they can find out fome plaufible Diftinclion 
 to avoid the Force of fuch Texts, or elfe if they 
 cannot anfwer them themfelves, they make no doubt, 
 hut the Heads and Leaders of their SeB and Party 
 can •, and fo they think it much better to depend upon 
 their Judgment than upon that of any other Perfons. 
 This is fo vifibly the Cafe of the Generality of Men, 
 in all Parties and Communions, that no Man who 
 is in any Meafure converfant in the World, can be 
 infenfible of it. And tho' it is culpable in any one 
 who enquires after Truth, to be thus governed and 
 led away by Prejudice \ yet how far in fome Cafes 
 Men may themfelves difcover fuch Prejudice, or what 
 Allowance the Goodnefs of God will make for it 
 in the great Day of Retribution, is more than I or 
 any one can tell ; and therefore it mufr be left to His 
 Righteous Judgment. But all that is neceffary to be 
 proved in the Argument we are now upon is this, viz, 
 that the Holy Scriptures are, to all Perfons capable 
 of reading them, fo clear and plain in all Neceffary 
 and ElTential Points ; that v/holbever will read them 
 with that Care and Diligence which we ought to do, 
 apd will entirely divefl himfelf of all Prejudice, and 
 free his Mind from the Power of all Worldly Interefl 
 andAffedions, fhall not in the Underftanding of thoie 
 Scriptures, fall into any Errour that fhall be fatal and 
 deflrudive to him. This is an AiTertion which I 
 fhink the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God will bear 
 
 L 3 me 
 
'l 5:0 Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 me out in maintaining : fince to fay that God hath 
 made a Revelation of His Will in Holy Scripture 
 for the Salvation of Mankind, and yet that it is not 
 to be underftood in NecefTary and EfTential Points, 
 by the inofi fincere and Migent Inquirers ; is vjorfe than 
 to fay that He hath made no Revelation at all. And 
 as the ^t2xGrotiiis well obferves {t) " The Goodnefs 
 " of God will not faffer us to believe that the Way to 
 ^' Eternal Salvation cannot be difcovered by thofe, 
 *' who feek after it without any Regard to Worldly 
 '' Honour and Intereft ; fubmitting themfelves en- 
 *' tirely to His Providence and imploring his Afli- 
 *' dance." And fays another (u) Learned Writer, 
 *' I think we may fafely pronounce in this Matter, 
 *' that the Goodnefs and Mercy of God is fuch, that 
 *' He never deferts a fincere Perfon, nor fuffers any 
 *' one that fhall live (even according to thefe Mea- 
 '' fures of Sincerity) up to what he knows, to perilh 
 *' for want of any Knowledge neceffary •, and what is 
 *' more fufficient to fave him." And as another very 
 judicious Writer {oc) expreffes it, " If there be a 
 f God, and if He requires any Service or Worfhip 
 *' {i. e. any Religion) from us, it is undoubtedly for 
 " this End, that it may be a Trial of our Faithful- 
 *' nefs and Obedience to Him. Now whofoever has 
 *' a Mind to prove his Servant, whether he will be 
 *' faithful and obedient, he will not give him fuch dark 
 *' and intricate Commands, as Ihall puzzle him to find 
 *' out the Meaning of them ; ('for how can a Servant 
 '' approve hi mfelt faithful and obedient, ifhebeun- 
 *' certain what it is that his Mafter requires from 
 *' him ?) But he will furely give him fuch Commands 
 *' and Diredions as are eafy enough to be underftood ^ 
 
 *' however 
 
 {t) Grciius ie Verit. Relig. Chrift, lib. vh ^. 2. See the Tefti^ 
 inonies of ^njiln Martyr and Qrigen lb this Parpofe, \xi his An- 
 jiciations upon the Place. 
 
 [u] Dr South's Sermons, Vol. I. p. 298. 
 fx) Archbifhop Sy^ge'i Gentleman's Religion, Part I. § z\ 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 151 
 
 ^^ however difficult they may be to be enterpriz'd 
 *' or accomplifhed. I conclude therefore, that all the 
 *' Duties of Religion which God requires of any Man, 
 *' muft needs be eafy enough for him to underftand, 
 *' however hard rhey may be to be praftifed. Forother- 
 " wife, Religion would be a Trial rather of a Man's 
 ** Wit and Cunning, than of his Faithfulnefs and 
 " Obedience." The only Difficulty in this Matter is 
 this, viz. How fhall a Man be able certainly to know, 
 whether he is fmcere and impartial or not, in his En- 
 quiry after the Truth of Scripture, Now tho' I freely 
 own there is fome Difficulty in this Matter, yet with 
 due Care and Caution, I cannot think it fo hard to 
 make this Difcovery as fome have imagined. And a- 
 mong many other Rules by which the Sincerity of Men 
 is ufually tried, thefe three following are the chief and 
 principal, with a refped to a fmcere and impartial En- 
 quiry into the Doc1:rine of Scripture. Firfi, If a Man 
 reads the Scripture diligently, and compares it to- 
 gether •, and confiders cooly and throughly what is 
 alledged on both fides in any Points that are controver- 
 ted, before he comes to a Conclufion. Secondly ^ If he 
 carefully examines into the Temper and Difpofition of 
 his Mind, and upon fuch Examination can fully affure 
 himfelf that he is not led away by any Pride or Paffion 
 or vicious Inclination-, but that hisAffedions are placed 
 on Heavenly Things, and that his Love to God is 
 fuch, that he has a much greater Regard for Him than 
 for any Temporal Confiderations ; and would choofe 
 rather to fuffer the greateft Evils in this World, nay 
 and even to lay down his Life itfelf, than in any wife 
 tooppofe His Will and Pleafure. And, "Thirdly and 
 laftly. If in a due Senfe of Human Weaknefs and In- 
 firmity, He prays frequendy and fervently to God for 
 His Holy Spirit to illuminate his Mind, and with Holy 
 David to openhis Eyes and to give him Underftanding^ that 
 Joe may difcover the 'Things in His Law. Pfalm cxix. 1 8, 34. 
 He that will conftantly and diligently read the Scrip- 
 
 L 4 tures 
 
152 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 tares with this due Preparation and Difpofition of Mind ; 
 may reft affured that he Ihall certainly difcover the 
 Truth in all Matters thar are of Moment and Impor- 
 tance to him. And tho' he may obf:rve many wile and 
 good Men to differ from him in their Opinions upon 
 EiTential Points, yet this is no good Reafon why he 
 fliould queftion his own Judgment upon thofe Points ; 
 fmce it is in many Cafes very plain and vjfihle tliat Men 
 ere influerxed by Prejudice and worldly Affe6lions, tho' 
 they themfelves may not clearly perceive it. And it 
 hath pleafed God, as in natural and fenfible Things, 
 {o alfo in the Revelation of His Will, to give us fuch 
 flain Marks and Criterions of Truth ; by which we 
 may certainly find out and difcover it. And the true 
 Reafon why there is fo great a Variety and Contradi- 
 ction of Opinion amongft Inquifitive Men in the Do- 
 ctrines of P^eligion, and fo little Difference between 
 them in Natural and Senfible Things •, is becaufe the 
 Prejudices and PafTions, and worldly Interefts of 
 Mankind are concerned in the one Cafe, and not in 
 the other ( y). That therefore a truly fincere Perfon 
 
 who 
 
 ( y) l^ the AfTeftions and Intereft of Men were as deeply con- 
 cerned, and as fenfibly touch'd in the Truth of hUthematical Pro- 
 pofitions, as they are in the Principles of Morality and Religion ; 
 we fhould fint: that when a Proportion ilood in their VVay, and 
 Jay crofs to their Intereft, tho' it, were never ib clearly derron- 
 flrated, yet they would raife a Duft about it, and irake a Thou- 
 fand Cavil?, and fence even againft the Evidence of a Demcnflra- 
 tion ; they would paUiate their Error with all the Skill and Ait 
 they • ould ; and tho' the abiurdity of it was never fo great and 
 palpable, yet they would hold it fafl: againft all Senfe and Reafon, 
 and face down Mankind in the'obftinate Defenfc of it ; for we 
 have no Reafon to doubt but that they v^ho in Matters of 
 Religion will believe diretlly contrary to what they fee ; would 
 sf they had the fame Intereft and Paffions to fway them in the Cafe, 
 l^elicve contrary to the cleared Mathematical De??io7iftration : for 
 wh re there is an abfolute Refolution not to be convinced, all the 
 Reafon and Evidence in the World fignifies nothing. Tillotfon 
 Vol- IL p. 239. See aJfo Archbiihop Swge's Gentleman's Religisiu^ 
 Far L %i. 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 153 
 
 who reads die Scriptures with the Preparation above- 
 mentioned, may not be feduced into any Fatal and 
 Deftru6live Errours -, I beg leave to trefpafs a little 
 longer upon the Reader's Patience, whilil I point 
 out thofe Marks and Criterions of Truth, by which 
 he may certainly attain to the Knowledge of it. In 
 doing which I Ihall not mention all thofe Means 
 and Helps in the Study of the Scriptures, fuch as an 
 exadl Skill in the Original Languages in which the 
 facred Books are written ; the Phrafe and Manner of 
 ipeaking amiong the Je-uvs •, the Hiftory and Cuftom 
 of the Times in which the Infpired Writers lived, 
 and the like ♦, all which Things are indeed abfolutely 
 neceffary to a through and perfe6t Underfbanding of 
 the Holy Scriptures : Though fince it hath pleafed 
 God in the Revelation of His Will, not only barely to 
 difcover to us thofe Things which are ablblutely ne- 
 cefTary to our Salvadon, but alfo to deliver Himfelf 
 to us in great Variety and Ornament of Difcourfe, 
 and to confirm and ftrengthen the main Dodrine by 
 many ftrong and forcible Arguments fcattered up and 
 down in the facred Writings •, it is certainly our indif- 
 penfible Duty by all proper Helps and AfTiflances to 
 gain as perfedl and compleat an underftanding of 
 them, as our Capacities and Opportunities will ad- 
 mit. And fuch who are not fl^illed in the Original 
 Language, nor acquainted with antient Pliilory 
 and Cuiloms, may yet arrive to a very confiderable 
 Knov/ledge in Holy Scripture, by theUfe of thofe many 
 Excellent Comments which are publifhed in the Na- 
 tion. But as this Difcourfe is chiefly defigned for com- 
 mon Readers, I fhall do no more than give two or 
 three plain Rules and Diredions, by which they may 
 certainly find out the Truth in all fuch Matters as are 
 necefTary and Effential, or of great Importance to 
 the Peace and Happinefs of their Minds. 
 
 The Firfi Rule is this j When a Propofition is de- 
 livered 
 
154 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 livered in as plain^ clear ^2ind exprefs Words as any Lan- 
 guage will admit; we miift always adhere to the Truth of 
 fuch Proportion, though it be never fo confidendy de- 
 nied by Men of great Parts and Learning fzj. This Pofu 
 tion depends upon what has been already obferved in 
 p. 150, viz. that God having made a Revelation of 
 His Will in the Holy Scriptures •, it would be highly 
 abfurd to fuppofe that He fhould exprefs Himfelf fo 
 darkly and obfcurely^ that we fhould not be able to dif- 
 cover His Senfe and Meaning after the moft fincere 
 and perfed: E:5?:amination. And if we cannot do this, 
 efpecially in fuch Paflfages of Scripture as are expreffed 
 in as clear and plain Words, as any Language will 
 bear •, the Confequence will be, that the Scriptures are 
 given to us in vain ; and it will be impofTible for us to 
 make any Ufe of our Rational Faculties ♦, but we 
 mufl be obliged to fit down in abfolute Scepticifm. 
 Thus, to make an Application of this Rule j It is 
 as clearly and plainly expreffed in Scripture, as any 
 thing can poiTibly be, that Jefus Chrifi came into the 
 World and took Human Nature upon Him, in the 
 Womb of the Bleffed Virgin j that He truly fuffered 
 and died for our Sins ; i^c. and yet it is well known 
 that thefe Particulars were denied by feveral Ancient 
 Heretics^ who did not want good Parts and Appre- 
 heniion. But I hope thefe Points are never the lefs 
 true and certain, becaufe thofe Heretics have denied 
 them. And the like may be faid of the other Arti- 
 cles in the Creed \ They are all delivered in plain 
 and clear PafTages of Holy Scripture •, and therefore 
 it would be no fufficient Reafon tor us to doubt of the 
 
 Truth 
 
 (z) There is nothing more unreafonable than to deny that to 
 be the Meaning of Scripture, which if it had been the Meaning, 
 could not have been expreft in plainer and more advantageous 
 Words ; efpecially when this is done not in one or two Texts^ 
 but very many. Tilkt/on, Vol, 11 L /. 490. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord*s Day. 155 
 
 Truth of fuch Articles, tho' it lliould fo happen that 
 fome of the greateft Learning and Knowledge Ihould 
 call them into Queflion. And the fame may be 
 affirmed of the two Sacraments of Baptijm and the 
 Lord's Supper ; they are very plainly and exprefsly 
 required and commanded in God's Word, Cfee Matt. 
 xxviii. 19. Mark XVI, 16. Johnm, 5. Luke xxii. 17, 
 &c. I Cor, xi. 23, &c.) tho' they are utterly denied 
 and renounced by a whole Se5i among us, in whom there 
 are undoubtedly many fenfible and well difpofed Per- 
 fons. And it is a vain and idle Attempt in them, to 
 endeavour to invalidate the Force of thefe Texts, by al- 
 ledging that St Paul fays that the Kingdom of God con- 
 ftfteth not in Meat and Brink. Rom, xiv. 17. and that 
 we muft not be fulje^f to Ordinances (a). Col. ii. 20. 
 and that the Sacraments were only Signs and Shadows 
 which were to be ufed for a while, for the Sake of 
 weak Chrijiians ; 'till they fhould receive more perfe^ 
 Illumination and Strength from the Spirit of God (h) : 
 I fay, it is in vain to attempt to deftroy the Force of 
 thofe Texts by this kind of Reafoning ; fince St Paul, 
 in the PafTages of Scripture laft mentioned, is plainly 
 fpeaking of the Ordinances of the Jewijh Law, "which 
 he is there proving to be of no Obligation under CZ?n- 
 Jiianity ; fince they were only Shadows of things to co?ne 
 under the Gofpel, and Chrift hath Hotted them out^ nail- 
 ing them to His Crofs ; Col, ii. 17, 14. and fince the 
 Scripture very plainly declares of both the Sacraments, 
 that they are to be celebrated until Chrifth Second com- 
 ing to Judgment. Matt, xxviii. 20. i Cor, xi. 26. 
 (c). fince both our Bleffed Saviour and St Paultx- 
 prefsly affirm, that Baptifm by Water is neceflary to 
 
 Salvation 
 
 (a) Vid. Barclay's Apology for the fakers. Prop. xiii. p. 481. 
 Prop. xi. throughout. 
 
 (b) Barclay^ Prop. xiii. p. 478. 
 {c) Fid. Tiilotfin, Vol. U. p. 515, 516, 
 
1 56 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Salvation as well as the Regeneration of the Holy Sp- 
 rit, John iii. 5. fit. iii. 5. and laft of all, becaufe 
 our BlefTed Saviour Himfelf whofe Example is always 
 an Infallible Comment upon Scripture ; did, as has 
 been before taken notice {d) of, obferve the External 
 Ordinances of Religion, notwithflanding He was fo 
 ahfolutely perfect , as to be entirely free from all Sin^ 
 I Pet, ii. 22. and had the holy Sprit given to Him 
 without Meafure, J oh. iii. 34. From all which Con- 
 fiderations it is very evident that theX)o6lrine of die 
 Neceffity of the two Sacraments, is plainly and clearly 
 delivered in Holy Scripture -, notwithflanding the 
 many Cavils and Objedions which the Adverfaries 
 of that Dodirine have raifed againfl it. This then 
 is the Firft Rule to be obferved in our Enquiry after the 
 Truth of Scripture, viz. that we flick to that which 
 is clearly and plainly exprefs'd, tho' there fhould be 
 many Perfons of good Senfe and Probity, who fhould 
 judge differently from us. If this Rule were care- 
 fully regarded, it would of itfelf fecure to Men a right 
 Judgment of Scripture in all things that are Eflential ; 
 fmce, as I have already remarked, whatever is necefTary 
 to Salvation either in point of Faith or Pradlice, is 
 plainly and clearly delivered in the Holy Scriptures. 
 And tho' it mufl be confefled that there are feveral 
 Paffages in Scripture which are difficult and obfcure, 
 yet as a very Judicious ^yriter well exprefTes (<?) it, 
 '^ If you do not underfland thofe Places that are 
 " objcure, in a Senfe contrary to thofe that ^yg plain ; 
 " tho' perhaps you maybe in an Errour concerning 
 *' the Interpretation of fome of them, yet you can 
 *' be under no dangerous Errour. But, 
 
 Secondy^ 
 
 (d)Vid.p. 1 1 5. 
 
 (e) Dr Clngetty in his Sermon on Jch, viii, 36. in the Ift Vol. 
 
 of his Pofthumous Sermons. 
 
Religious Obfefvation 5/^ ^^^ Lord's Day. 157. 
 
 Secondly^ . Becaufe there are many fatal and deftruc- 
 tive Errours both to the Salvation of Men's Souls, and 
 to the prefent Peace and Quiet of their Minds, which 
 may receive Countenance from fome Texts of Scrip- 
 ture, at leaft as they are managed and explained by 
 artful and cunning Men •, therefore tnere are two other 
 Rules very neceffary to be obferved, in order to a true 
 and right Underilanding of Holy Scripture. ^ The 
 Firft Rule is this •, Never co ground any Dodlrine of 
 Moment and Importance upon one or two Texts of 
 Scripture ; 'all you have put together and confidered 
 what is faid in other Parts of Scripture upon the fame 
 Point. The abfolute Neceflity of obferving this Rule 
 is very evident \ fince there are many great and per- 
 nicious Errours, which may receive fome Umbrage 
 and Support from pardcular Texts of Scripture ; if 
 they are confidered /^/'^r^/^/)' from others in which they 
 are clearly and plainly confuted. This I have fliewn 
 already, both with refped to the Worfiiipping of 
 Angels and the Dodlrine of the Sacraments (/j •, and it 
 would be very eafy to. give many more Inflances of the 
 like Nature. But it is not neceflliry to do this, fince 
 whofoever diligendy reads the Scriptures and compares 
 them together, may readily make an Application of 
 Ihis Rule to himfelf But, Secondly, Trie other Rule 
 which I fhall mention at prefent, as neceffary to a right 
 Underftanding of Holy Scripture, is this, viz. Never 
 to build any Do6lrine of Weight and Confequence 
 upon Figurative and Metaphorical Texts {g) of Scrip- 
 ture, when the fame Do<^rine is frequently and largely 
 
 treated 
 
 if) Seep. 145. &'- i^v , . ,^ , A a ' A A 
 
 (g) If Metaphors once come to be mfiUed on, and Itrained, and 
 Confcquencesconre to be drawn from them, and Do6lrines founded, 
 andTheories built upon themj they are of very i]IConfeqaence,and 
 ferve to no other Purpofe, but to blind and obfcure the plain and 
 fimple Notions of Things, and to fed ace and miflead the Unr^er- 
 landings of Men, and to mu]up:y ControverHes without End; 
 Tillotfon, Vol, ULh 4"S' 
 
i^§ A Dijcourje concerning the 
 
 treated of in other Pafikges which are literal and plain7. 
 If this Rule had been duly obferved, the Do6lrine of 
 IrrefiftiUe Grace (which is one main Branch of the abfurd 
 and monftrous Do6lrine of Predeftination) would have 
 loft it's chief and principal Support. For tho' it is not to 
 be denied that there have been fome very confiderable 
 and learned Men who have engaged in the Defenfe of 
 that Dodrine, and that with fo much Zeal and Confi- 
 dence,as to bealmoft impatient of Contradiction {h) ; 
 yet the beft Proof and Evidence which they could give 
 thereof from the Holy Scripture,was from fuch PalTages 
 as are plainly Figurative and Metaphorical : the chief 
 and principal of which are thefe three following. The 
 firft Text is in 2 Cor, iv. 6. where St Paul fpeaking 
 of the great Change which God Almighty had wrought 
 in the Hearts and Lives of the Corinthians^ exprefTes it 
 thus, God who commanded the Light to Jhine out of Bark- 
 vefs hathjhined into our Hearts \ to give the Light of the 
 Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of J ejus Chrift. 
 The fame Manner of ExprefTion we may alfo find in 
 other Parts of Scripture. A5fsxxv\. 18. Eph, v. 8. 
 I Pet. ii. 9. The other two PafTages are in Ephef lu 
 I, 10. where St Paul fpeaking of their State and Con- 
 dition by Nature^ and comparing it to that which they 
 were in by Grace ; defcribes it in this Manner. And 
 you hath He quickened^ who were dead in Trejpajfes and 
 Sins, And again, fFe are His JVorkmanfhtp^ created in 
 Chrift Jefus unto good JVorks, Now tho' it is very clear 
 and evident, that the Expreflions in thefe Texts are Fi- 
 gurative (i) and Metaphorical, and are ufed by the 
 Apoftle to fignify the Miferable State and Condition 
 
 they 
 
 (h) See Dr Clageifs Difpute with Dr Ozuen upon this Point, m 
 hi-s moft ExcellentDiicourfe concerning the Operations of the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 (/) See Dr Clagett's Operations of the Holy Spirit, Part H. clxap/ 
 
 V. S^ I. 
 
Religious Obfervation of th& Lord*s Day. i^q 
 they were in before their Converfion ; as that their Un- 
 derftandings were darkned and obfcured, and their Wills 
 fo ftrongly inclined to Sin, that they were in a manner 
 quite dead to any Senfe of Good and Evil {fee Ephef, 
 iv. I p.), and therefore ftood in need of a more than 
 ordinary Power of God's Grace to reduce them ; I fay» 
 though this be very plainly the meaning of thofe Ex- 
 prefTions in the Texts abovementioned, yet there have 
 not been wanting fome learned Men, who have un- 
 derftood them according to i\\tftri5l Letter, to fignify 
 that Men are entirely pqjfive^ i. e. tliat God doth all and 
 Men do nothing at atU in the great Bufinefs of Rege- 
 neration and Converfion : and that, becaufe the Apoftle 
 when he is fpeaking of fuch Regeneration, defcribes 
 it by Similitudes taken from thofe things in which the 
 Power of God is folely concerned without any Concur- 
 rence on their Part. For when God created the World, 
 and reftored dead Bodies to Life again •, the Barknefs 
 upon the Chaos did not in the leaft Degree contribute 
 to the Light that Ihined upon it, nor the dead Bodies 
 which were railed to the Operation of God's Power 
 upon them. And in the like manner fay thefe Per- 
 fons, when Sinners are regenerated and converted from 
 the Errour of their Ways, and brought over to the 
 Pradlice of Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs -, the Ef- 
 fed is entirely owing to the Irrefiftible Power of God's 
 Grace upon their Minds, and not in any meafure to the 
 Confentand Concurrence' of their own Wills thereunto. 
 Now not to mention that it would be a fufHcient An- 
 fwer to this kind of Reafoning, that though we Ihould 
 allow that God may and does fometimes a6l in this 
 manner in the Converfion of *a Sinner (k) , yet this can- 
 not pofTibly be the ufual and general Method in which 
 
 the 
 
 {k)yid. Dr Af^yr^'s Grand Myftery of Godlinefs, Book x. chap. 
 V. 0. 2. compared with Dr C/agett's Operations of the Holy 
 Spirit, Part II, chap, iv. §, 6. p, 219. 
 
i6o ^ A Difcoiirje concerning the 
 
 the Divine Grace operates upon the Minds of Men i 
 becaufe then, thofe who in Virtue of this Grace fhould 
 repent of their Sins and believe the Gofpel, could not 
 hereby be entitled to any Praife and Reward ; nor 
 thofe who for want of fuch Irrefiftible Grace fhould 
 remain Infidels and continue in their Sins, could jullly 
 defer ve any Cenfiire and Punifhment j the contrary 
 to which the Holy Scripture, as well as the common 
 Senfe of Mankind plainly fuppofes : I fay not to 
 mention this •, it is a manifefl fign of Weaknefs or 
 Prejudice to ground the Dodrine of Irrefiftible Grace 
 upon the Metaphors and Allufions in the Texts above- 
 mentioned •, when there are innumerable Texts of 
 Scripture which relate to the Converfion and Salva- 
 tion of Sinners, in which the Freedom of Mans Will, 
 and the NecelTity of it's Concurrence with the Ope- 
 ration ofGod's Grace,' are plainly and clearly afTerted 5 
 as the Catholic Church of Chrift has truly and wifely 
 determined upon this Point (I). It would be tedious 
 and unnecefTary to multiply Texts of Scripture in fo 
 familiar a Matter, I fhall therefore mention only two 
 or three which are YQ.r>j remarkable, and which I 
 defy all the Wit of Mankind to give any rational An- 
 fwer to upon th. Predeftinarian Scheme. Thus our 
 Bleffed Saviour fays of the Pharifees, that they rejeoled 
 the Coimfel cf Gcd againft themfehes. Luke vii. 30. And 
 St Stephen of the Jews^ that they always refifted the Holy 
 Ghoft. A^s vii. 51. And again our BlelTed Saviour 
 fays to Jerufalem^ Jen{fale?n, How often would I have 
 gathered Thee, even as a Hen gather eth her Chickens 
 
 under 
 
 (/) Semper hoc Ecdelise Catholicze Judicium fuit, cum gratia, 
 fed fub gratia tamen, conlpirare amice Arbitrii Libertatem. Nempe 
 ut B. Auguftinus fcite dicebat, / noJi eft Dei Gratia, quomodo Jalvat 
 MurJum 1" & ft 71011 eji liberum Arhitrium^ quomodo judicat Mun- 
 dum ? Atqjeut ait Bernardus, Telle liberui.i Arbitrium, non erit 
 quod Salvetur ; tolle gratiam, non erit unde Salvelur. Vffi HiftQr\ 
 fdagian, p. i. 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 16 1 
 
 finder her PFtngs^ a?:d ye wculd not. Matt, xxlii. 37* 
 And again he fays to the Jews,, ye will not come unto 
 7ne,, that ye niight have Life. John v. 40. Now if Ir- 
 refiftible Grace be abfolutcly neceffary to the Con- 
 verfion of Sinners, and it is through the want of this 
 Grace that fome Sinners are not reformed ; upon what 
 Grounds then can our BleiTed Saviour blame the Jews 
 fo feverely for not coming to Him and believing in 
 His Gofpel ? For fince Irrefiilible Grace is in God's 
 Hands, he might as eafily have beftowed it upon 
 them as He did upon other Sinners. And to fuppofe 
 that God fhould blame and punifh Men for not re- 
 penting of their Sins and believing in Him, when it 
 is abfolutely out of their Power to repent and believe ; 
 is the fime thing in plain Words, as if we fhould fay, 
 that He blames and puniflies them for nothing : vv^hich, 
 if it were not out of Reverence to fome pious and good 
 Men, who have maintained the Dodrine of Irrefiilible 
 Grace •, I lliould make no fcruple to fay, it were Blaf- 
 phemy to afnrm {j?i). Tho' therefore a Perfon of 
 weak Judgment Hiould be puzzled v/ith the Metapho- 
 l-ical Defcriptions of the Apcitle, v/hen He is fpeak- 
 ing of the mighty Power of God in the Converfion 
 of Sinners, and fhould think that they give fome 
 Countenance to the Dodri::.^ of Irrefiftible Grace ; 
 yet He v/ould foon be delivered from this Miftake if 
 he would compare thofe PaiTages of Scripture with 
 the Texts lail mentioned ; and particularly with 
 th^tfole?nn Declaration which God mxakes upon this 
 very Occaficn in the Prophet Ezekiel, As I live, faith 
 the Lord Gcd, I have no Pleafure in the Death of th^ 
 Wicked^ hut that the Wicked turn from his Way and live. 
 Turn ye^ turn ye from your Evil Wavs^ for why will ye 
 
 M ^ ^ ^ dw 
 
 (m) Vid. Dr C/^^^//'s Operations cf the Holy Spirit, Part II, 
 cliap. iii. §.5. * 
 
362 A Difcourfe concerning tht 
 
 J/>5 Hcufe of Ifrael. Ch. xxxiii. (;/) 11. Nay {o 
 great is the Folly and Weaknefs of building any Do- 
 ^l:rines of Moment upon Figurative PaiTages of Scrip- 
 ture in oppofition to thofe that are Literal ; that in 
 many Cafes the Senfe of fuch PafTages may eafily be 
 difcovered and explained by comparing them with 
 tliofe that are plainly Figurative. Thus for inflance •, If 
 a Papifl: fhould urge to any Proteitant in Defenfe of 
 Tranfubflantiation, the Words of our BleiTed Saviour 
 at the Inilitution of the Sacramert, Tms is my Body 
 Luke xxii. 19 ; befides the manifeft Abfurdity of the 
 Doctrine, and it's Incapability of being proved by 
 Scripture ; becaufe it deftroys the Evidence of Senfe, 
 and confequently fabverts the Foundation, upon which 
 the Authority of the Scripture itfelf is eftablilhed : 1 
 fay not to mention this, that any Proteftant of com- 
 mon Senfe, might readily confute that pernicious Do- 
 ctrine by com.paring that Pafiage of St Luke with 
 other Texts of Scripture that are clearly Figurative. 
 Foiif he hath the leafh Acquaintance v/ith the Lan- 
 guage of Scripture, he cannot but know that there is 
 nothing m.ore common than to give to the Sign of a 
 Thing, the Name of that which is fignified thereby, 
 Innumierable Inilances might be given of this if it 
 were neceffary •, but I will m.ention only one which is 
 very remarkable. Thus Jofeph in the Interpretation of 
 Tharaoh\ Dream, fays, the Seven good kine^ are Seven 
 Tears^ and the Seven good Lars are Seven Tears, Gen. 
 xli. 26 (0). That is, furely fas every Body of com- 
 mon Underftanding mud perceive) they are the Sign 
 or Signification of Seven Years, And it is very ufual 
 
 with 
 
 (n) See more to this purpofe in IJa, v. 4. Luke xix. 42. Matt, 
 xi. 21. Mark vi. 6. chap. xvi. 14. See aJfo a moft excellent Dif* 
 coiirfe of Archbilhcp Tillctfon upon this Point in Vol, II. Serm. 
 Uii. 
 
 (0) See aljo Lul:c viii. 1 1 , ^:» 
 
, Religions Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 163 
 
 ' with our Bleffed Saviour, Vv^hen He is fpeakirxg of the 
 great BlelFings and Benefits which His Difciples 
 ihould receive from his Perfon and Do6i:rine •, to de- 
 liver Himfelf in very ftrong Figurative ExprefTions. 
 Thus to give only an Inftance or two. In John x. 9. 
 He fays / mi the 'Door, And chap. xv. i. I am the 
 Vine. And it is as Evident from thefe Texts, that 
 Chri'fl is reaUy and literally a Boor and a Vine \ as that 
 the Bread in the Sacrament is His real Natural Body. 
 Nay, there is much greater Proof and Evidence for 
 the one, than the other. For Chrift fays, / am the 
 
 s true Fine. And tho' the Expreffion be plainly Figu- 
 rative fas the Papifis themfeives can eafily difcern) 
 
 ^ yet if He had faid the fame of the Sacrament, This 
 
 ' is my true Body, and this is my true Blood \ they 
 Would have triumphed ex^ceedingly, and thought it 
 a DemonftrStion oY the Dextrine of Tranfubftantia- 
 tion ; as a Learned Author well obferves (p)- 
 
 And thus m.uch concerning the Rules of explaining 
 and interpreting the Holy^ Scriptures, in order to ar- 
 rive at the true Knov/ledge and Underflanding of them 
 in Matters of Dodrinc. And from what has been 
 laid down upon this Head, I hope it fully and clearly 
 appears, that tho' pious and good Men do oftentimes 
 tall into great Miilakes about the Dodrine of Scrip- 
 ture, thro' the Force of Prejudice and the Power of 
 their Affections •, yet the Will and Mind of God is 
 fo plainly revealed and exprefTed in the facred Wri- 
 tings, that whoever will be careful to diveil himfelf of 
 all Prejudice and PafTion, and will read them with 
 that Attention, Diligence, j^^nd Reverence, which he 
 ought to do -, need not doubt but that he fhall find 
 but the Truth in all Matters that are of any Confe- 
 quence and Importance to his Salvation. I fliall there- 
 fore conclude this Point v/ith thofe rem.arkable Words 
 
 M 2 of 
 
 (f)) Dr ^sr^Mt agaiaH Popery, Part II. chap. vlii. p. 137. 
 
164 A Dtfcourfe concerning the 
 
 of a late Writer f^), (though they are by him applied 
 to a very different Furpofe), viz. that " Though if 
 " God revealed any Thing in a Way liable to be mif- 
 taken, he ca-nnot be difpleafed with fincere People 
 *' for miflaking it ; yet certainly the End of God's 
 giving any Precepts, was not to deliver them fo 
 " obfcurely that People might be faultlefs if they mif- 
 *' took, but to make them fo plain that they could 
 *' not well miftake. And this is agreeable to infinite 
 " Wifdom directed by infinite Goodnefs ; which cer- 
 tainly will give us equal Degrees of Evidence for 
 Religious Truths which lb much concern us, as it 
 " has done for Truths of lefs Importance/* 
 
 There is only one Rule more to be obferved, in order 
 to a true Underftanding of the Eloly Scriptures in Mat- 
 ters of Practice (and it muft be added to what has been 
 already delivered concerningMatters of DodlrineJ : and 
 that is, never to trufl to our own Reafonings in oppofi- 
 tion to plain and evident Declarations of God's Word.. 
 I do not mean that Reafon is not to be confulted in the 
 Underftandingof Scripture, or that the Senfe of Scrip- 
 ture is not to be accomodated to the clear and undeni- 
 able Principles of Natural Reafon (r) ^ but I mean, 
 that when God hath expreffed Flis Will and Pleafure 
 in Holy Scripture in plain and dire61: Terms, we mufl 
 not recede from it, upon fuch Reafonings as are drawn 
 from our Worldly Interefls and Aftedions. This one 
 would think fhould be a very needlefs Rule, if we 
 eonfider how clearly and exprefsly all Matters of Prac- 
 tical 
 
 (^) Chriftianity as old as the Creation, chap. x. p. 130. 
 
 [r) The Circumftances of Human Life are irifimte, and depend 
 on a Multitude of Accidents not to be forefeen ; and confequently 
 not to be provided againil. Hence Laws muft run in general 
 Terms, and fometimes the Intent of the Law is bed fulfilled hy 
 running contrary to the Letter ; and therefore Reafon and Honefty 
 jmuft guide us to the Fitnefs of the Thing, and a great Scope muil 
 be left to Equity and Difcretion. Dean StanhopeV Sermon at iris 
 Commsncimint at Qafnbridgey 1697. />. 13. See aifo p, 12, 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 165 
 
 tical Duty are laid down in the Word of God. But 
 if we look abroad into the World, we fhall find too 
 much Occafion for infifting upon it. There are but 
 •few Men fo bold and daring as zvilfully to a6t in Op- 
 pofition to what they believe to be the Truth of God's 
 Word ; but by the Power of their finful Affediions 
 and the Craft and Policy of the Devil, their Minds 
 are furnifhed with fo many nice and artful Diflindions, 
 that they think the particular Cafe with which they are 
 concerned, may fairly be exempted from the general 
 Command : and by this Means they do for a while 
 make their Confciences eafy and quiet in a manijeft 
 TranfgrelTion of God's Law. Innumerable Inllances 
 might be given of this, in the Condu6l and Behaviour 
 of profeffed Chriftians -, but it is entirely needlels : it 
 being impoffible for any one to have any Converlation 
 with Mankind, and not to be acquainted with them. 
 I Ihall therefore only obferve at prefent, that if Men 
 who profefs to believe the Holy Scriptures, can acquit 
 themfelves of the Guilt of Perjury in taking Oaths 
 againll their Confciences •, or of Fraud and Injuilice in 
 cheating the Public or Private Perfons ; or of any 
 other Crimes which are exprefsly contrary to the De- 
 darations of Holy Scripture ; and that by the 
 Strength and Virtue' of fuch Diftindions, as the 
 Intereil and depraved Affedions of Men commonly 
 fuggeft in fuch Cafes, and which are too v^tW known 
 to ftand in need of a particular Account and Defcrip- 
 tion (and forry I am to fay it, there are m.any Per- 
 fons of grave and ferious Behaviour, and who conftant- 
 ly attend upon the {s) puUic V/orfhip ; who do by this 
 M 3 Means 
 
 {s) Neque enim defunt inter ChriHianos qui pietatem co-unt dum 
 orant Deum, dum Sacrificio tremendo affiftunt, dum facerdotem 
 concionantem audiunt: fed interim vel blafphemant Deum in Judo, 
 vel jurant per Deum fme Caufa, vel vota Deo fadla non implent. 
 Id vero quid aliud eft quam pie coJere Deum, & impium 
 ciTe in Deum I Oportet igitur eos qui cupiunt bene vivere ut detur 
 
 iliis 
 
1 66 A Dljcoiirje concerning the 
 
 Means make themfelves eafy under thefeTranfgreffions) 
 I fay, if Men can by fach Arts and Devices acquit 
 themfelves of the Guilt of flagrant and notorious Crimes, 
 exprefsly condemned by God in His v/ritten Word ; 
 then indeed it will be a vain and fruitlefs Attempt to 
 lay down any Rules for the true underftanding of 
 Holy Scripture ; fmce it is abfolutely impoffible that 
 any Law of God can be fo clear and plain, but it's 
 Authority and Obligation may eafily be evaded and 
 fet afide by the Kelp of fuch Diilindions. It is there- 
 fore abfolutely neceilary to a true and right underfland- 
 ing of Holy Scripture, that we do not fet up our own 
 deceitful and fallacious Reafonings in Oppofition to 
 the clear and exprefs Determinations of God's Word 
 (/). And it haih pleafed God in His Providence to 
 give us this Caution and Inftrudion in a very remark- 
 able PafTage of Holy Scripture •, and that is in the 
 Account which we have of our BlelTed Saviour's being 
 tempted by the Bevil^ Matt, iv. Now upon this 
 Occafion we may obferve that our BlelTed Saviour did 
 not once reafon with the Devil upon any of thofe Temp> 
 tations which he propofed to Him •, but only urged 
 the Authority of Scripture. // is written^ fays Chrifty 
 and then He gives His Anfwer to the Devil in die 
 Words of Scripture. And pray why did he do fo ? 
 
 Could 
 
 illis bene mori, ita pie Deum co!ere, ut abnegent omnem impieta- 
 tem, imnio etiam ■ mnem umbram quamvis tenuiffimam impietatis. 
 Parum enim prodeft, quotidie miflam audire, & Chriftum in Sacro 
 Myflerio vcncrari, fi interim impie Deum blafphemes, vel per 
 Beam pejeres. BeJlarmin. de Arte bene Moriendi^ lib. i. cap. vi. 
 
 (t) If'e find b'i E perience hozu oflen zve are deceived, even in 
 things before our E'es and the common Affairs of b:ijna7i Life j and 
 mof:' pa'-tirtilarly, in the Cafe of Religion., how apt our "Judgment 
 W'uld be lO foUow the Bent cf our Pr(Jtons and Appetites, and to 
 model our Dutv according to their Motions and Dejtres ; if God had 
 left this whol^ to every ones Reafon.^ and not given us a more plain and 
 ex pi efs Reveiatim of His l^illy to check and balance that Influence 
 which our Paffions and Appetites are found to have over our Reafon 
 md Judgment, Bilhop G/^/^^/'s Second Pailoral Letter, p. 7. 80 
 
Religious Ohfervatton j/" //^^ Lord's Day. 167 
 
 Could not our BlefTed Saviour who was infinite in 
 Wifdom have outdone the Devil in Point of Reafon • 
 ing, and offered fuch Arguments to him, as he ihould 
 not have been able to gainlay or contradi6l ? Yes cer- 
 tainly. But our BlefTed Lord chofe this Method for 
 our Benefit and Example ; and to fhew us in what our 
 Security confifts, when we are tempted by the Bevil to 
 depart from the clear and exprefs Declarations of Holy 
 Scripture : and that is, not in trufling to our own Rea- 
 fonings, but in an abfolute Reliance upon God's Word. 
 For if the Devil can once prevail with us to reafin upon 
 clear and exprefs Declarations of God in Scripture, he 
 will reafon with us as long as we pleafe. And he is 
 Mailer of fo much Sagacity and Experience, and 
 knows fo well how to adapt himfelf to our Pride and 
 Vanity, our Interefl and PafTions ; that he will i;//^//f% 
 prevail over us by thofe plaufible Reafonings and In- 
 finuations, with v/hich he will colour over and difguife 
 his Temptanons. It was by this means that lie deceived 
 the firfl Mother of Mankind thro' his Sublilty, 2 Cor. 
 xi. 3. viz. by perfuading her to argue and reafon with 
 him, upon a plain and peremptory Command which God 
 had given her -, Gen. iii. And therefore as a very 
 Learned Writer judicioufly obferves {u)y " Let the 
 *' Fatal Example be a Warning to others, how they 
 *' liflen to Sophiftry, in oppofition to Divine Truths." 
 And this is the true Reafon why fome Men who yet 
 read the Scripture, turn Atheifts^ others Heretics ; why 
 fome deny God's Providence, and others reconcile 
 themfelves to flagrant Inftances of Sin and Wicked- 
 nefs J viz. becaule in their Enquiries into Divine Mat- 
 ters, they fet out upon the Foot of their own Reafon- 
 ing, and not as wife and good Men fhould do in an 
 abfolute Dependance upon the Truth of God's Word. 
 Whereas, in this Cafe, if Men would abide by the 
 
 M 4 clear 
 
 [u] Scripture Vindicated, Part I. p. 17. 
 
1 68 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 clear Direflions of Holy Scripture, and make 
 them the Rule of Judgment in Matters of Religion : 
 they would be fafe and fecure from all poffibility of 
 Deception. For as Dean Sherlock fays admirably well 
 (x)^ " the Devil cannot deal v/ith the Authority of 
 *' God ; but to fay it is written^ anfwers all his Temp- 
 *' tations, and makes him fly." Let us then conftant- 
 ]y obferve this Rule in our Enquiry into the Truth of 
 Scripture. And if we will thus ftudy the Scripture 
 with Care and Diligence, with pure and honefl Minds, 
 free from all Prejudice and Worldly Intereft and Af- 
 fedlions •, we fhall receive fuch Guidance and Illumi- 
 nation from the Holy Spirit, that we fhall in all Cafes 
 knciv of the 'DcBiines^ whether they he of God. John vii. 
 17. And thus much concerning the fecond Benefit of 
 reading the Scriptures, viz. that we are thereby en- 
 abled to form a true Judgment in the Difputes and 
 Controverfies of Religion. I proceed now to the 
 
 Third Advantage of reading the Scriptures, viz. the 
 Prefent Delight and Pleafjre which arifes from the 
 Perufal of them. Now this will eafily be perceived, if 
 we confider what thofe Properties and Qualifications 
 are in any Book, which render it agreeable and 
 delightful to Men of Senfe and Wifdom ; fmce v/e fhall 
 find that they are all in a more eminent Degree con- 
 tained in the Holy Scriptures. And to fay nothing at 
 prefent of the Infpiration of the Bible, let it have but 
 the common Credit of other Books, yet we fhall 
 foon fee that it excells them all in thefe four Par- 
 ticulars, which always b:ing a Book into great 
 Efleem and Reputation with the Generality of Man- 
 kind. And, 
 
 . Fir/?, The Bible (with refpedl to a great Part of it^ 
 is the molt {y) andent of all other Books. And we 
 
 ail 
 
 (x) Sherlock on the Immortality of the Soul. chap. v. §. i 
 p. 526. See the Place. 
 
 (y) y'ld. Grot, de Ferii. kc, lib. i. §.15. cum Annot, in loc. 
 
Religious Ohfervatio7i of the Lord's Day. 1 69 
 
 all know there is fcarce any Thing which hath more 
 exercifed the Curiofity and Contemplation of Man- 
 kind, than the fearching into Antiquity. Now it is 
 certain, that we have no Hiilory of the World nor 
 of any of the Affairs thereof, for a great many Ages 
 after the Creation, but what is entirely taken from this 
 Holy Book. For tho' indeed it is not to be denied, 
 that there have been feveral Wife and Powerful Na- 
 tions, as particularly the Egyptians^ Chaldeans ^ and CZ?i- 
 nefe^ who have laid Claim to a much greater Antiqui- 
 ty, and carried the Accounts of their Hiftory for many 
 Thoufind Years beyond that of Mofes ; yet not to 
 mention the clear Proof and Evidence v/e have of 
 Mofes's Integrity (z) ; thefe Accounts have been prov- 
 ed to be fabulous^ and to abound with infinite Incohe- 
 rencies and Abfurdities, by many Learned Writers {a). 
 And the Chinefs themfelves who have carried their Ac- 
 counts the higheft of any, do not yet, as an eminent Author 
 has lately obferved (h), give any Credit to their pre- 
 tended Annals for more than 3000 Years before Chrift i 
 neither do they pretend to have begun to write Hiftory 
 above 4000 Years agoe ; and the Oldeil Books which 
 they have extant, in an intelligible Charafter are not 
 2000 Years Old. And befides this, there are two 
 Particulars which we have from the Mofaic Hiftory, 
 which are of very great Moment and Importance to 
 
 the 
 
 {z) Neque vero cuiquam prudenti credibile fiet Mofem qui ndn 
 iEgyptios tantum holies habebat, fed & plurimas gentes alias, 
 Idumsos, Arabas, Phnsnicas ; vel de Mundi Ortu & rebus^ Anti- 
 quilTimis ea aufum palam prodere, quae aut aliis fcriptis prioribus 
 revinci polTent, aut pugnantem fibi haberent perfuafionem veterupi 
 atque communem : vel de fui temporls rebus ea praedicafTe, qus vi- 
 vcnrtium multorum teftimoniis pofTent refelli. Grot, de Veritaf* 
 SiC. lib. i* §. 16. Fid. Annotate inloc. 
 
 {a) Vid. Particularly Stillingfleet's Orig. Sac. Jib. i. cap. ii, iii, 
 iv. Bifhop Pearfon on the Creed, Artie. I. p. 58, O-c. t)r 
 Nicholh\ Conference, Part I. p. 178. 6"^ Edit, 3. Re- 
 velation Examined with Candour, Vol. IL p. 175. 
 • [b] Minute Philofopher, Vol. II. p. '](^-i &c. 
 
170 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 the Benefit and Happinefs of Mankind •, the full 
 Aflurance and Certainty whereof, fhould methinks ad- 
 minifler the greateil Pleafure and Satlsfadion to their 
 Minds. 
 
 The firfi is the clear Difcovery which is made to 
 us in that Hillory, that the World and all Things 
 therein, were created by God. This one would tliink 
 were a very needlefs Obfervation -, fmce as the Apoftle 
 obferves Rom, i. 20. the Eternal Power and Wifdom 
 of God are plainly difcoverable from the Works of 
 Nature •, and it hath been flriclly demonftrated by 
 many Learned Men (^), that the World could not pof- 
 fibly be Eternal^ nor exift of itfelf by NecelTity of 
 Nature ; but was created in Tme by an Intelligent and 
 Allpowerful Being : and that as an excellent {d) Writer 
 expreifesit, " there needs no great Cridcifm to find 
 *' out the true Author of all the Works of Nature ; 
 *' for the Works themfelves fnew the Author as plain- 
 *' ly, as if His Effigies were drawn upon them." But 
 yet if we confider what Thoughts and Sentiments the 
 ancient Philofophers who were deftitute of Divine 
 Revelation, had of this Matter •, as viz, that fome of 
 them fuppofed the World exifted as it is from all Eter- 
 nity, and was a necejjary Emanation from God's in- 
 finite Perfecllons, which was the Opinion of Ariftotle 
 and his Followers -, that others who attributed the For- 
 madon of all Things to God •, yet conceived fo great 
 a DifRculty in the Notion of Creation^ as to afl^ert the 
 PrsE-exiftence and Eternity of Matter ; which was the 
 the Doctrine not only of the Oleics (^), but alio of the 
 
 Generality 
 
 (c) See particularly, Dr SamueiCUrke^ Sermons at Boyii^ 
 Lectures. Part I. GurdoTiS Sermons at the fame, Diicourfe III. to 
 theXIrh. 
 
 i^d) Stiliingfieet's Orig. Sacr. lib. iii. cap. i. 
 
 [e) Whut Seneca ja'js of the Stoics zuas the general Opinion of 
 the other Philofophers'^ in thii Particular- Dicunt, iit fcis, Stoici 
 nollri duo efle in Rerum Natura, ex quibus omnia fiant, Caufam 
 Materiam : Materia jacet iners. Res ad omnia parata, ceffatura, 
 •'' ' ' ii nemo 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 171 
 
 Generality of the bed Philofophers ; and that there 
 -were others v/ho thought that the World and all 
 things therein, was made by Chance, which was the 
 Opinion of the Whole Sed of Epicureans. If to all 
 this we add further the many Endeavours which have 
 been ufed by Modern Philofophers, fuch as Hohhs^ 
 Spinoza^ &c. to propagate their feveral Atheiftical 
 Schemes of Philofophy, which it is to be feared have 
 made an ImprefTion upon too many Perfons among 
 us ♦, and that it is an eafy Tranfition from fuppofmg 
 Matter to be Eternal and NecefTarily exiiting ; to 
 conclude that it is the only Self-exiftent Being, and 
 Original Caufe of all Things. If all this, I fay, be 
 put together and duly confidered ; we muft readily 
 own, that, as the Generality of Mankind are of weak 
 Capacities, and too apt to be drawn away by fallaci- 
 ous Reafonings ; it muft be a Matter of great Benefit 
 and Advantage to them, to have the Creation of the 
 World, and the Manner in which God created all 
 Things, fo plainly and particularly defcribed to them, 
 and that in a Hiftory of fuch Antiquity and Autho- 
 rity as that of Mofes ; and efpecially if we fuppofe it 
 Cwhat it may be very clearly proved to be) a Divine 
 Revelation. For if once this Point is allowed, viz, 
 that the World and all Things therein were created 
 
 by 
 
 fi nemo moveat. Caufa autem, id eft, Ratio, Materiam format, &c 
 quocunque vult verfat, ex i]la varia opera producit. Senec. Epiji. 
 Ixv. vid. loc. 
 
 Mundum quidem ruifTe Temper, Philofophia Au6lor eft, Condi- 
 tore quidem Deo, fed lion ex Tempore. Macrdb. in Somn. Scip, 
 lib. a. cap. X. 
 
 Sicut enim inquiunt (Platonici) fi Pes ex aeternitate femper fuif- 
 fet in pulvere, femper ei fubefTet veftigium ; quod tamen veftigium 
 a calcante factum Nemo dubitaret ; nee, alteram altero prius eiTet, 
 quamvis alterum ab altero fadum efiet : fie, inquiunt, & mundus 
 atque in illo Dii creati, & femper fuerunt, femper exiftente qui 
 fecit ; & tamen fadi funt. Auguft, de Civ, Dei, lib, x» cap, xxxi, 
 Vid. loc^ 
 
172 A Difcour/e concerning the 
 
 by God 1, there are Rich Stupendous Marks of Wifdom, 
 Power and Goodnefs, every where to be obferved in 
 ih^ Works of Nature, as muft lay a flror.g Founda- 
 tion for our Homage and Gratitude and Obedience to 
 Him. 
 
 SeconMy, The other particular which we have from 
 the Mcfaic Hifiory, (and v/hich it is a Matter of great 
 Benefit and Advantage to us to be duly informed of) 
 is diat of the Fall of our Firft Parents. Now that 
 there is a great Corruption in our Nature •, fo tiiai, as 
 St Paul fpeaks, the Flejh lufteth againft the Sprite and 
 -^ve cannct do the ihmgs that we would. Gal. v. 17 (/). 
 IS fo very evident and manifefl, that it cannot be de- 
 nied. Of this the Ancient Philofophers were very 
 fenfible, and oftentimes complained heavily about it 
 (g). But for v/ant of knowing the true Origin of 
 this Corruption, they were very much perplexed and 
 puzzled in their Philofophy : And it was upon their 
 lo-norance of this Point, that the abfurd Dodlrine of 
 the Tranfmigration of Souls, received by the Whole 
 Sefl of the Pythagoreans, and from them handed 
 down to the Jews in our Bleffed Saviour's Time, was 
 entirely grounded. For when they difcovered in 
 Mankind, that Early Inclination to Vice, and flrong 
 Propenfity to Sin and Wlckednefs, which fo mani- 
 fellly prevails in the greateft Part of them ; they 
 could not account for it any other way than by fup- 
 pofmg, that their Souls had formerly inhabited and 
 finned in fome other Bodies, and brought from them 
 into their prefent Bodies, thofe Vicious and Corrupt 
 Principles, with which they were tainted and defiled. 
 And that the Jews in our BlefTed Saviour's Time, 
 were of the fame Opinion, is evident from John ix. 
 2, 3 (h% And therefore, fince we are fo unhappy 
 
 as 
 
 (/) See P.ci^. vii. ^^ _ . . 
 
 (g)py. BrC/arke's SermonsztBoyk'sJ.ta. Part II,Prop. vi. §. 3. 
 (^) Vid. Poll Synopf. Critic in loc. Pridgaux'^ Connexion^ 8rP5 
 VoJ. HI, A 479, 4 So. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 175. 
 
 as to labour under fuch a great and manifeft Corrup- 
 tion of our Nature, of which the Mofaic Hiftory ft;ts 
 before us the true Caufe and Orio;In •, it fliould m?- 
 thinks be a mighty Comfort and Satisfaclion to us, that 
 the fame Hifcory difcovcrs to us a fall and compleat 
 Remedy for that Corruption -, and that by the Ap- 
 pointment of a Saviour who fhould hru'ife tho Serperfs 
 Head : Gen, iii. 15. (i) l^hat as by one Man^s Difchedi- 
 ence many were made Sinners •, fo hy the Obedience of 
 One many might he made Righteous. R.om, v. i^. 
 But, 
 
 Secondly^ The Hiftory of the Bible is more vSdxxi 
 and excellent as well as more delightful and enter- 
 taining, than any other Hiftory whatfoever. And 
 we all know that there is fcarce any Study, which 
 is more engaging and agreeable to the Generality of 
 Mankind, than that of Ancient Hiftory. And m~ 
 deed with good Reafon •, fince by the reading of 
 Hiftory we are not only delighted for the prelent^ 
 with the /arious and different Affairs and Cufboms 
 of Nations •, but do alfo reap this further Beneiit from 
 thence, viz. that by obferving the Inclinations and 
 Difpofitions and A6lions of Men in former Times, 
 tve may be able to pafs a pretty good Judgment upon 
 their Condudb and Behaviour in our own. And 
 moreover, as an ingenious Writer f*) well re- 
 marks, " a fmall Piec-e of Hiftory affords a greater 
 *' Variety of Incidents for the Improvement of cur 
 " Minds, and the right Condudl of Life, than can 
 " be fuggefted, within tlie lame Compafs, in the 
 " Way 
 
 (i) That by the .Seed of the Woman, the MeJJias is here meant, 
 and by the Serpent the Devil who feduced our firft Parents, hatli 
 been fully fiiewn by federal Learned Writers. [See Poors SynopJ'ia 
 on the Place). And concerning the Fitnefs and Propriety of the 
 Exprelfion, to figniiy our BlelTed Saviour's Conqueft and Vi^lory 
 over the Devil, the Reader may receive full Satisfaction from Br- 
 fhop Sherlock's Difcourfes of Prophecy, and from Revelation Ex- 
 amined with Candour^ Vol. 1. Dif^rtat. 4, 5, 6, 7. 
 
 i^) FoJler% Sermons, p. 2, 
 
174 -^ Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 **■ Way of Inflrudlion and Reafoning." Now be- 
 fides the Antiquity of the Bible, of which already ; 
 there is no Hiftory in the World which can be com- 
 pared to That, both for the Variety of Pleafing and 
 Delightful Affairs with which it abounds, and the 
 many ufeful and excellent Inilrudlions which w^e may 
 receive therefrom. , To multiply Inftances of this 
 Matter is very needlefs ; fince no one can read the 
 facred Hiflory, with any Care and Attention, but he 
 will be well acquainted with them. However I can- 
 not forbear to obferve, that in the facred Hiftory, the 
 Original Simplicity of the Patriarchs in their Feafis [k) 
 and Entertainments, and in their mutual Converfation 
 with one another ; and particularly that Noble Inter- 
 view w^hich Jofepb had with his Brethren^ Gen, xliii. 
 v/hich, to life the V/ords of an Eminent Writer, " is a 
 '^ Relation that the Whole Compafs of Human Litera- 
 " ture hath never yet pretended to equal (/) :" the Pro- 
 digious Ages to which they lived, the numerous Pro- 
 geny v/hich defcended from them, and their firft Plan- 
 tation and Settlement in the World ; hath fome- 
 thing in them that is extremely pleafing and delight- 
 ful. And if from them we defcend to the Jews^ and 
 confider how many aftonifhing Things God did for 
 them in the Land of Egypt ; in what a Miraculous 
 Manner He brought them forth from thence into the 
 promjfed Land, and gave them Viftory over their 
 Enemies ; how by a Continued Se?ies of Miracles he 
 fupported them in the Wiidernefs, and watched over 
 them thro' all their Generations by His Care and 
 Goodnefs ; we miuit needs confefs that the Account 
 which the Scripture gives us of thefe Particulars is 
 very Solemn and Majeflic. And in the following 
 Hifrory of their Kings, there is a great Varietv of 
 
 Ufeful 
 
 {k) See a very Beautiful PalTage to this Purpoie mjlet'ehtion 
 examined zuith Ca7idour^ Vol. II. p. 204. See alfo Ulnchvair^ 
 Sacred dajjtcs^ ^io. Par: J. p. 3. Part 7/. />. 258 = 
 
 (/J Revelation examined, ihd- p, 243. 
 
Religious Obfer^vation of the Lord's Day. 175 
 
 XJfeful and Delightful Tranfadions recorded, from 
 which every one who reads them may eafily draw 
 many excellent Obfervations both Moral and Political. 
 And particularly in the Reign of Solomon^ the Ac- 
 count which the Scripture gives us is highly movii-g 
 and liirprizing. The great Wifdom of his Govern- 
 ment, the Dignity and Reputation in which he was 
 held by all his Neighbours^ the Splendour and Gran- 
 deur of his Court {inj •, and above all, theVaft Prepa- 
 rations he made for the building of the Temple, the 
 Number of Men who were employed in the Work, the 
 Regularity and Order, with which it v/as carried on, 
 and the amazing Beauty, Riches, and Magnificence 
 thereof when finifiied {n) : all this put together gives 
 us luch a great and noble Idea of his Government, as 
 is not to be parallel'd in the Hiftory of any Nation, 
 But befides thefe things and many others which very 
 well deferve to be enlarged upon ; there is one Pecu- 
 liar Excellence in the facred Hifbory which ought 
 highly to indear it to us, fince it contains a Matter of 
 the utmoft Satisfadlion and Comfort to us ; and that 
 is, that we have therein a clearer and more fenfible 
 Manifeftation of God's Providence over the World, 
 and His Protedion of righteous and good Men ; 
 than we can poiTibly gain any other way. There is 
 no Man who can read the Hiirory of the Jews as de- 
 livered in the Bible, but he muil be immediately con- 
 vinced of this great Truth. The many Wonders 
 God performed in their Behalf in the Land of Egypt -, 
 the ftrange Manner of their Deliverance from thence ; 
 their fafe Paffage through the Red Sea, in v/hich their 
 Enemies v/ere overwhelmed ; His maintaining them 
 in the V/ildernefs for forty Years together by daily 
 Miracles ; His guiding them in their Journies by a 
 
 Clci^dy 
 
 {m) See i Kings, chap, iv, 
 {») See Chap, v, vi, and viiih. 
 
176 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Cloudy Pillar in the Day^ and by a jjght of Fire in the 
 Night 'y His giving them PoirefTioii of the Promifed 
 Land, by almofl a continued Courfe of Miracles 
 Vv^rought for them ; His raifing up Deliverers for them, 
 whenfoever they were brought into any confidejrable 
 Danger and Diftrefs ; His taking the Adminiftration 
 of their Government upon Himfeif, and managing the 
 Affairs of it -, and even when they fooiifhly chofe to 
 have a King of their own to rule over them, and there- 
 by caft off their Regard and Subjection to His Au- 
 thority •, His yet continuing His kind Interpofition 
 towards them, by a Vifible Manifeflation of His Glory 
 and Freferxe in the Temple (^), and by giving them 
 ex^refs Anfwers and Diredions from Heaven ; >^^hen- 
 foever upon any Difficulty andEmergency in their Con- 
 cerns, they ihould confult His Oracle concerning them. 
 And to mention no more fwhich is a very extraordinary 
 Inftance of God's Providence) His Protedion of the 
 Jews from the Invafion of their Enemies, when their 
 Males went up to Jernfalem three Times a Year at the 
 ilated Seafons, to worihip the Lord (p). Excd. xxxiv. 
 23, 24. Thefe wkh many other Things of the like 
 Nature, are fuch plain Indications of a peculiar Pro- 
 vidence of God over His People ; as I am fure all 
 Profane Hiftory in the World cannot furnifh us with. 
 
 And 
 
 {0) See Dr CJagett'^ Operations of the Holy Spirit. Part I. chap. 
 
 iv. ^. 3. p. 175, &'^- 
 
 (/)) What was it that retrained the Enemies oilfrael^ when they 
 knew the Nakednefs of their Land, from making a Defcent upon 
 it? The Nations that ufed to meet the Armies oF the Livi7ig God 
 in the Field, decline the Advantage of entering an open, a defence- 
 lefs, and adioining Country. To what fhall we impute a Condu6l 
 io irreconciieab'e with the fettled Maxims of Human Wifdom and 
 Policy ? To what ? But to the fpecial Interpofition of the fupreme 
 J?e"ty, who does according to His Will^ among the Inhabit ants of 
 ihi Earthy Dan. iv. 35. And tcho bowel h when He pes ft, the 
 tieaits of a iihole h^ation or People, as the Heart of one Matu 
 2 ^am, xix. 14. Dr FiddciV Sermons, Vol, //. /. 341, 
 
Religions Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 177 
 
 And becaule the Providence of God over the World 
 and His Particular Favour to, and Protedion of 
 righteous and good Perfons, is a Matter of exceeding 
 Comfort to Mankind, and a great Motive and Incite- 
 ment to Virtue ; it hath pieafed God in the Holy 
 Scripture to give us not only a general View of His 
 kind Providenc-e, with Regard to whole Nations and 
 Kingdoms, but alfo of His Panicular Interpofition 
 in Behalf of Private Perfons ; in order to fupport 
 them under their Troubles and AfHidions, or to de- 
 liver them from their Danger and Diftrefs : Hereby 
 making good that faying of Hanani the Seer to the 
 King of Judab^ viz. fhat the Eyes of the Lord run to 
 and fro throughout the Whole Earthy to Jhew Himfelf 
 ftrong in the Behalf of them "jvhofe Heart is -perfeEi to- 
 wards Him. 2 Qhron. xvi. 9. ' Many Inftances might 
 be given of this ♦, but I Ihall at preient only mention 
 that of Jofe-ph \ who was not only delivered from the 
 Dungeon whither he was cail by a filfe Accufation, 
 but alfo by a moil remarkable Providence was made 
 the Lord and Governour of the Kingdom of Egypt : 
 by which means he was enabled to fjpply his Fa- 
 ther's Houfe with Corn, during the Time of a great 
 Famine. Gen. xlii. And that none who put their 
 trufl in God.might defpair of His Aiilflance, to what 
 Extremity foever they' may be reduced •, He hath 
 alfo vouchfifed in tlie facred Hiilory to give us the 
 moft amazing Inflances of His Providence in deliver- 
 ing His faitiiful Servants from Deflrud-ion, when 
 their Condition feemed to be defperate and pail all 
 Remedy. Of which the Prophet JDaniel in the Lyon^s 
 Den, and the three Children in the hurning fiery Fimiace^ 
 will be lailing and memorable Examples, Dan. ch, 
 vi. and iii. And becaufe fome Perfons are of fo per- 
 verfe a Temper and Difpofition, that nothing but 
 Terrour and Severity can have any Elfedl and Influence 
 upon them j it has pieafed God for their Sakes, to 
 
 N let 
 
178 A Difcourfe concerning fhe 
 
 let before them the moft dreadful and terrible Mona- 
 ments of His Wrath and Difpleafure againil Sin, in 
 the Punifhrnent of whole Nations and People, as well as 
 particular Perfons for their great Impiety and Wicked- 
 nefs. Of the Former of which, the drowning the 
 World with a Deluge of Waters, Gen, vii.. the burn- 
 ing of Sodom and Gomorrha with Brimftone and Fire 
 from Heaven, chap. xix. the Overthrow of the Ca- 
 naanites by the Armies of the Living God, and the 
 final Deftru(5tion of Jerufalem by the Romans., f which 
 was plainly defcribed and predidled by our Blefled 
 Saviour in Matt, xxiv.) and of the Latter, the pecu- 
 liar Judgment executed upon Ahah King of Ifrael^ 
 I Kings xxii. and BelJJoazzar King of Babylon^ Ban. v. 
 are -very fignal and remarkable Inftances. So that 
 upon all Accounts, whether we confider the great 
 Variety of pleafmg and delightful Tranfadions, 
 the many Solemn and Majeftic Dcfcriptions, the vafl 
 Number of wife and ufeful Examples -, or the exceed- 
 ing Benefit which redounds to Mankind, by the clear- 
 eft Difcovery and Manifeftation of God's good Pro- 
 vkience : we muft needs be fully convinced, that the 
 Sacred Hiftory is of all others the moft Entertaining 
 and moft Excellent. But, 
 
 Thirdly^ The Holy Scriptures have given us a bet- 
 ter Syftem of Moral Precepts, than are to be found in 
 any other Books whatever. And there are no Wri- 
 tings which are fo univerfally efteemed by all wife and 
 judicious Men, as thofe upon Moral .Subjeds. And 
 indeed, with good Reafon •, fmce no other Writings 
 (how pleafing foeverthey may be in the Perufal,) can 
 poflibly tend fo much to the true Intereft and Happi- 
 nefs of Mankind, which is abfolutely infeparable from 
 Moral Duties. This the antient Philofophers well per- 
 ceived^ and therefore they laid it down as a Rule to 
 their Difciples, that true Happinefs did not confill 
 , in Riches and Senfual Pl^afures, but in the Praftice of 
 
 Virtue 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 179 
 
 Virtue {q^). And indeed it muft not denied, that many 
 Divine and Excellent Sayings are delivered by Socrates^ 
 Plato ^ Ari[lotle^ and others, upon this Head. But 
 neverthelefs, the Pagan Scheme of Morality was abfo- 
 liitely infufficient to the great End that was defigned 
 thereby, viz. the Reformation of Mankind \ not only 
 f which has been obferved frequently by Learned [r) 
 Writers), becaufe there were but very few of the Phi- 
 lofophers in Comparifon, who fet themfelves in good 
 Earnefb about this great Bufinefs, and their Philofophy 
 was almoft wholly confined among themfelves, and 
 confided more in nice and difficult Points, than in 
 Matters of eafy and plain Duty ; and the greateft 
 Part of the Philofophers were continually contradict- 
 ing and confuting one another, and delivered their 
 Doctrines rather as Matters of Difpute and Debate, 
 than as the necelTary and indifpenfable Precepts of Holy 
 Living (s). I fay, the Pagan Scheme of Moral Phi- 
 lofophy was not only upon thefe Accounts infufficient 
 for the Reformation of Mankind, but alfo, becaufe 
 
 N 2 the 
 
 
 et'^et/jei. Plato in Apolog. Socrat 
 
 (r)Fid. DrC/^r/e^'s Sermons at %.VsLeaures, Part U. Prop. 
 vi. §. 3. Biihop G/^y^/y's Second Pafloral Letter, p 13, <^-c. 
 
 {s) Inclufos (Philofophos) in Angulis, facienda prscipere quse ne 
 ipfi quidem faciunt qui loquuntur ; & quoniam fe a veris Ad:ibus 
 removerunt, apparet eos exercendse linguse caufa vel advocandi 
 gratia, Artem ipfam Philofophiae reperifTe. La8ant. lib. ill, 
 
 Sed hsEC eadem (Prascepta Moraiia) num cenfes apud Kosipfos 
 valereniu admodum paacos, a quibus iaventa, difputatajconfripta 
 funt ? Quotas enim quifque Philofophorum invenitur qui fit ita mo- 
 ratus, itaanimo ac vita conititutus, ut ratio poftulat ; .quidilciplinam 
 fuam non often tationem fcientiae, fed legem vitse J)utet? qui ob- 
 temperet ip'e fibi & decretis fuis pareat ? Clcer. Tujcul. ^ajh lib. 
 ii. See aifo. an excellent Obfervation of Jriftotle to this Furpofe ia 
 Ethic, ad Nicom, lib. ii, c^p- Hu 
 
i8o A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 the very bed of the Philofophers, not only vindicated 
 and allowed of the groffeiL Idolatry in the Worfhip of 
 their Gods, but alfo of the moft horrid and barbarous 
 Vices in Matters of Pradicc ; fuch asthatof expofmg and 
 deftroying Young Infants in feme particular Cafes •, Self- 
 Murder, Fornicationj ("and that very frequently commit- 
 ted in the very Places of Religious Worfhip,) the Sacrifi- 
 cing of Men and Women to their Gods, the Invafion 
 of their Neighbours, and innumerable other Things 
 which deferve the utmoft Abhorrence and Deteilation 
 of all good Men. And fuch vile and horrid Prac- 
 tices were not only approved of by many of the great- 
 eft and moil eminent Philofophers, but alfo juftified 
 and eftablifhed by the Laws and Confentof many Na- 
 tions •, as hath been fully flievv^n by fome of the antient 
 Fathers (/j, (who have obferved, that they departed 
 from thofe Cuftoms upon their Reception of Chriftianity) 
 and alfo by feveral Learned Moderns (ti) ; who have 
 given us large Colle6lions of the particular odious and 
 abominable Vices maintained and allowed of by them. 
 Nay there are many of the moft monftrous Errours in 
 Do6lrine and Worlhip, and of the moft exorbitant 
 Vices in Pra6i:ice, which are found and difcovered in 
 lieathe?! Nations to this very Day {x). All which be- 
 ing duly confidered, fhould methinks make it very 
 
 pleafing 
 
 [t) Eufeb. Prasp. Evang- lib. i. cap- iii. lib. vi. cap. viii. Theo- 
 doret. de curand. Graec. AfFe6l. Serm. ix. de Lege. 
 
 («) See Dr Cave'j- Primitive ChriJiiaKit', Part I. chap. iii. 
 Grot, de Veritat. ^c. lib. ii. $. 12. cum Annotat.in loc. NicholWs 
 Corferencet Part II. p. 58, &c. Puffendorfs Lazo of Nature and 
 Nations^ lib. it. chap. Hi. ^. 8. lib. vi. chnp. ii. §. 6. Galtrw 
 ihius's Hijlofj of the Heathen Gods, p. 102, 293. Bifr:op GibfonV 
 Second Pafioral Letter., p. 27. in which Authors^ there are very 
 large Collecriois to this Purpofe, made from the Genuine Works of 
 Plato, Ariflotle, Cicero, Senec?, Liogenes Laertius, Plutarch, 
 and other celebrated Heathen. Writers. 
 
 {x) Vid Lock's Effay on EutnanV rJerJl andivg^ Book I, chap, iii^ 
 %. g^ BiJhopGMonf Second Letta; /. 33, ^cc. 
 
Religions Objervation of the Lord's Day. 1 8 1 
 
 pleafing and delightful to us to read the Holy Scrip-. 
 tures ; fince therein we are (y) furnifhed with a 
 compleat Syftem of Moral Precepts which are 
 clearly and plainly delivered to us, and that without 
 the leaft Mixture of Corruption : by which Means 
 we may be eafily and perfedly inftruded in all the 
 great Duties of Morality which we owe to God, our 
 Neighbour, and ourfelves. This will be fo readily 
 acknowledged by all thofe who have read the Scriptures 
 of the Old and New Tellament, and particularly, that 
 Divine and Excellent Sermon of our BlelTed Saviour 
 upon the Mountain (z) ; that I need not fpend any 
 Time in the Proof of it. Nay fo Excellent is the 
 Holy Scripture in refped of it's Moral Precepts, that 
 as many good Critics (a) have obferved, the Writings 
 . of Seneca^ Plutarch^ EpiBehis^ M. Antoninus^ and other 
 Philofophers who lived after the Time of Chrift^ have 
 been very much enriched and improved by them. And 
 that Pythagoras^ Plato^ Ariftotls^ and other antient 
 Philofophers, as well as the Poets, drew a great Part 
 of their Morality as v/ell as Theology from the Old 
 Teflament, and that many of the mofl confiderable 
 Laws of Minos^ Lycurgus^ and Solon^ were alfo taken 
 from thence ; hath been fully fhewn by jufiin Martyr^ 
 Tertulliany Clem. Alex, Eufehius^ and others of the Pri~ 
 7?zi/fi;^ Fathers ; of whofe TefLimonies upon this Point 
 
 N 3 (with 
 
 (y) See Mr Brozvn\ Defenfe of the Religion of Nature, ^c. 
 chap. ii. p. 67, c^r. 
 
 {%) In our BlelTed Saviour's plain but inilru6live Difcourfe from 
 the Mountain, the Defefts of all former Morality are fo handfomely 
 touched and fo fully fupplied ; that a Man may form his whole 
 Moral Condudl upon the Plan of the Prinriples which are there 
 advanced, and may form it v/ith more Advantage, than upon all 
 the Volumes of Human Learning without, it. Dr MarfliallV 
 Sermon^ Vol. I. p. 429. 
 
 (a) See particularly Dr C/^ve's Primitive Chriftianity, Part T. 
 chap. iii. Dr /F/^f^r/^^^'s Firft Charge to the Clergy, p. 32. 
 Dr S. Clarke' & Sermons d^tBoy/es Ledurcsj P^irt 11, Prop. vii. §. 3. 
 
1 82 ^A DifcGUrfe concerning the 
 
 (with many wife and judicious Obfervations upon 
 them) a very Learned Writer hath lately given us alargc 
 Collediion [h). And yet tho' we fliould fuppofe fwhich 
 I am far from granting) that there was no Difference 
 between the Fagan Scheme of Morality and the Chrif- 
 tian^ as to the Subflance and Matter of them ; fmce 
 the great Duties of Morality are not only more clearly 
 and fully delivered by pur Elefled Saviour and the 
 Apoftles, but alfo carried to a much greater Degree of 
 Perfedion, than ever they were by the beft Heathen 
 Philofophers (<:J. But however, I fay fuppofing there 
 was no Difference between the Pagan Scheme of Mora- 
 lity and the Chriftian^ as to the Subflance and Matter of 
 them ; yet the latter v/ill always have this Pre-emi- 
 nence and Advantage above the former, that whereas 
 in the Pagan Scheme, the great Truths of Morality, 
 lie fcattered up and down in the fcveral Writings of the 
 Philofophers, and are there delivered with great Un- 
 certainty and Contradidlion •, they are in the Chrijiian 
 Scheme brought together in one View, and digefled 
 into one regular Syftem {d). And moreover (which 
 
 is 
 
 (b) Dr Wtterland's Firfl Charge to the Clergy, p. 7, &c. See 
 alfo, Grot, de Jure Belli & Pads ^ lib. it, cap. i. $. 12. and 
 Grct. de Feritat. &:c. lib. i. §. 1^. cum Grot. & Clerici Annotat, 
 in loc. In which there are feveral Inftances given ol G; ecian Laws 
 and Inftitutes, which were borrowed from the JemJJj Scriptures. 
 
 (c) Fid. Chriilianity as Old as the Creation^ chap, xiii. p. 341, 
 ^c. compared with Bifhop Gibfon's Second Paftoral Letter, 
 p. 29. Mr Browns Befenfe of the Religion ^f Nature, &c. p. 
 44Z to 452. See alfo, Mr 'Jackfoih Remarks on Chriilianity as 
 as Old as the Creation, p. 13, &c. In which the Excellency of the 
 Mofaic Laws above thofe of the bell Pagan Syftemsis clearly fhewn. 
 
 (d) Ouyi oTi diniTtf-i is7 Tc^ Y\KtLim%' J[iMyiiciL\ci. rpk 
 X£/r?, d^^d oTi in isi 'Kelvin ouoict, coamp acTs rd fpj/J' a,h^edv» 
 iy.cLT©' j<3 tU kpTO fJLl^zg T6 (mipfjULjiK^ d-^a hay^ to ffuf^zi 
 cf<?," KccKcdf '^.(pyiy^ajo. 01 <^' TdVitv]lA efJJTol^ h )tvexcflk^ts 
 ir^iiiKoTii, O'Jk amTt'i^tui tIuj cL'TTOTflov xj yvco7iv tLuj etvi^ifKJoy 
 (pcdi'Ci^,cu ZyjKivcti. Ju[t. Mart. Apolog. II, cap. xiii. 
 
 Quod fi extitifiet aliquis qui veritatem fparfam per fingulos per 
 fciflafque diftufam, coliigeret in uniim, ac redigeret in Corpus ;. is 
 
 profe(5to 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 183 
 
 is a Matter in which the Pagan Religion was entirely 
 deficient) they are inforc^d upon us by the greatell 
 Authority, and recommended by the moft perfed Ex- 
 ample {e\ For as the Jew'ifh Officers when fpcaking 
 of Chnfi^ told the Pharifees that Never Man /pake like 
 this Man. John vii. 6. (compare Matt. vii. 29 J So St 
 Peter truly faid of this great Preacher of Moral Righ- 
 teoufnefs, that in Him there "joas no Sin^ neither was Guile 
 found in His Mouth, i Pet. ii. 22. But, 
 
 Fourthly^ and laftly. There is a Superior Strength 
 and Force of Reasoning, and a much greater Majeily 
 and Sublimity of Thought, and more Powerful Ora- 
 tory, to be found in the Holy Scriptures, than in any 
 other Wridngs whatfoever. And thefe are Qualifica- 
 tions which have been always highly efteemed and 
 valued in all Human Compofitions. As to the Firll, 
 There is no one that reads the Holy Scriptures with 
 Care and Attention, but be will foon per<:eive the 
 prodigious Force of Reafoning Vv'Kich is ufed therein 
 upon feveral Occafions. But this is particularly to be 
 obferved in the Wridngs of Mofes^ who was a very 
 great Mafter in this Faculty -, and well indeed might 
 he be fo, when as St Stephen takes notice, Jc?s vii. 22. 
 he was learned in all the Wifdom of the Egyptians, who 
 were a very wife and underftanding People. Many 
 Inflances might be given of this from the Pentateuch^ 
 but for Example Sake I fhall at prefent m.ention only 
 one, and that is in Deut. iv. in which Mefes exhorts 
 the Jews to the great Duty of Obedience to God, 
 
 N 4 from 
 
 profedo non difTentiret a nobis. Sed hsec nemo facere, nifi veri 
 peritus ac fciens, poteft, Verura non nifi ejus fcire ell, qui fit doftus a 
 Deo. La£iartt. lib, vii. 
 
 {e) In fuppofing an external Revelation^ I take it for granted, 
 that there is Jufficient Evidence of a Perfon being fent from God 
 to publijh it ; nay I further own that this Divine Perfon by living 
 up to what He taught, hath fet us a noble Example. Chrifianity 
 as Old as the Creation, chap. i. p. g. See the Excellency of our 
 Bl e fed Saviour'' s Example y admirably defcribed by Mr Nelfon in bis 
 ffjiivals^ chap, v.. p. 68, ^c. • 
 
184 -^ DifcGurfe concerning the 
 
 from feveral Confiderations ; as from the great Rea- 
 fonablenefs of the Thing, the many diftinguilliing 
 Favours and BlelTings which God had granted to 
 them, and the Regard to tlieir own Dignity and Re- 
 putation, ^c. and hid'ly from the manifeil and dread- 
 ful Confequences of Difobedience, both to themfelves 
 and their Poileriry •, and all this carried on with fo 
 much Eale and Smoothneis, and yet with fuch a 
 mighty Strength and Force of Reafon and Argument, 
 that I believe it will be hard to find any Thing like 
 k in the bell Phil ofop hers of the Pagan World. The 
 fame Admirable Strength and Force of Reafoning 
 may likewife be plainly difcovered in ^i Paul's, Epiftles^ 
 by all fdch who will read them diligently, and con- 
 fider the true Occafion and Defign upon which they 
 were wTitten. In all which we find the Apoftle not 
 only arguing irrefiflibly from the common Principles 
 of natural Reafon, but alfo proving inconteflably to 
 the Jezvs from their own Scriptures, that Jefus was 
 the Cbrifl. And by this means he confounded the Jews 
 which dwelt at Damafcus, A6ls ix. 22. As Apollo s 
 convinced thofe at Ephefus^ chap, xviii. 28. And fo like- 
 wife did St Stephen in that mofl excellent Defenfe 
 made by him in A5fsYii. who (o clearly proved the 
 Truth of Chnftia7nty from the Old Teftamient, that we 
 find when the Jews heard thefe things they were cut to 
 the Hearty ver. 54. and the true Reafon was becaufeas 
 it is faid, chap. vi. 10. they were not able to reftft the 
 Wifdom^ and the Spirit^ by which he /pake. The Apoflle 
 St Paul does alfp manifeft his remiarkable Talent in 
 Argumentation, by proving that the JewiJJo Converts 
 were not under the Obligation of the 'Law of Mofes^ 
 as miany of them imjagined •, which any one may eafily 
 perceive who will read his Epiille to the Romans and 
 Galatians. Nay fo admirable was St Paul's Sagacity 
 in this Matter, that he not only demonflrates this 
 Exemption from the Jewijh Rites from the Authority 
 of their own Scriptures , but alfo from certain Princi= 
 
 -pies 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 185 
 
 pies of Reafoning allowed of among themfelves. Of 
 which we have a very Particular Inftance in the Ar- 
 gument drawn from the Allegory of Abrahani's two 
 Sons GaL IV, 21, &c. in which the Apoftle's Defign 
 is not to prove the Truth of Chriftianity to unbelieving 
 Jews from the Old Teftament, as a late Author has 
 falfely reprefented (/J it ; but that the Jewijh Con- 
 verts were exempted from the Obligation of the Mo- 
 faic Rites , which is fo plainly the Subjed of this 
 Epiftle, that I wonder how it was polTible for that 
 Author not to (g) perceive it. And in this View the 
 Apoflle'sArgument is not only very properand pertinent, 
 but ftrong and convincing ; as a mofl Learned Prelate of 
 our Church well obferves (h). And his great Skill in 
 arguing this way, he hath fhewn more largely in his 
 Epiftle to the Hebrews. And indeed fo great and extraor- 
 dinary were the Talents of this Apoftle in Argumenta- 
 tion ; that as a-very Learned Writer truly (i) remarks, 
 " They have made him the Wonder and Admiration 
 " of the whole World." But above all, the Inimitable 
 Force and Strength of Reafoning which we have iri 
 the Holy Scripture, is to be found in the Arguments, 
 and Difcourfes of our Blefled Saviour. For He not 
 only proved the Truth of His Miflion and the Divi- 
 nity of His Dodirine, by the many Wonderful Mi- 
 racles wrought by Him ; but alfo argued fb ftrongly and 
 convincingly upon all Occafions, that we often read 
 that the Jews were amazed and aftonifhed upon this 
 Account, as well as the other {L) And this He did^ 
 not only in the ufual Way of Reafoning, by draw- 
 ing 
 
 ff) Grounds and Reafons of the Chrijiian Religion, p. ! i . and 9^. 
 
 ( ^) Vid Dr C/tf ri^'s Praftical Effays. EfTay the lid, chap. iv. 
 
 [h) Bifliop Chandler'^ Defenfe of Chriftianity. p. 356. ^ee the 
 whole SeSiion. 
 
 (i) Bingham's Antiquities of the Chrijiian Church. Vol. II. Zvg» 
 Book VI. chap. iii. § 2. 
 
 ^ (k) See Matt. w'n. 28, 29. Mark \i, 2. Luke ii. 47. chap. 
 iv. 32. J oh. vii. 46, 
 
i86 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 ing Conclufions from clear and evident Principles ; 
 but alfo in the moft adimrable and fur prizing Manner, 
 in His Parables, In which He not only frequently 
 entangled and confounded the Jews^ and obliged them 
 to give Judgment againft themfelves (/) •, Cwhich could 
 hardly be done in any other Method) ; but alfo re- 
 prefented the Truth of His Dodrine in fuch lively 
 and affe^ling Colours, and with fuch prodigious 
 Strength and Force of Reafon ; that I am very fure 
 no Human Writings in the World can parallel. And 
 this makes me furprized to find that a Learned Au- 
 thor who hath lately taken infinite Pains to prove the 
 Ohfairlty of the Holy Scriptures, in order to derogate 
 from their Authority and Perfection ; fhould ever 
 draw an Argument to that Purpofe from hence, that 
 the Ne-zv ^eftament is full of Parables (m). For tho* 
 our Blefied Saviour might fometimes with good reafon 
 deliver Himfelf obfcurely in Parables, for the juft 
 Punifhment of thofe who defpifed His plain and clear 
 Inflrudions (n) -, (which is v/hat is meant by that 
 
 Text 
 
 (/) See particularly MatL xxi. 28 te 32. Luke vii. ^6 to the 
 End. 
 
 (m) Chrlftjanity as old as the Creation, chap. xiii. p. 332. 
 
 (n) When Chrift fpeaks as a Legiflator, as in the Sermon on the 
 Mount, He lays down His Rules in plain and diredl Terms. But 
 when He fpeaks of fome of the Mylleries of Chriftianity, or the 
 Rejeftion of the j£ws^ and the Preaching the Golpel to the Gen* 
 tile^, or the like ; He then only makes ufe of oofcure Similes^ 
 which fome of the captious Jezvs^ who followed Chriji., out of no 
 good Delign, might not underlland. And herein He did no other- 
 ways, than what famblichus fays Pythagoras did ; who faid 
 many things in a hidden and covert Mat.?:er^ which thofe -who came 
 lo learn of him with a pure Mind might undcrftand \ but others tho* 
 they heard him^ could not perceive his Meaning. Dr NichollsV 
 Confer e>;ce., Fart 111. p. 148. 
 
 Our Saviour did not always apply himfelf to the Pharifees in a 
 way of Inllru<^ion, but rather chofe to filence their Arrogance ; 
 He anfwered their Cavilling Queftions, with QuelUons i not fo 
 
 much 
 
Religions Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 187 
 
 Ttxt in Mark \Y. 12, as cited by this Author, and 
 by Matt, xiii. {0) 13, ^c.) And tho' in general P^r^- 
 lles do require a greater Degree of Attention and Dili- 
 gence, to find out the Senle and Defign of them, 
 than that of plain and literal Precepts ; yet with due 
 Care and Application, the View and Defign of them 
 may be very eafily difcovered ; and when it is fo dif* 
 covered, it comes with double Force upon the Mind, 
 and makes a much ft:ronger Impreflion, than plain and 
 literal Precepts could pqffibly do. And this is the 
 Cafe- of the Generality of our Blefled Saviour's Para- 
 bles, as they are kt forth to us in the Gofpels. An 
 ordinary Attendon and Regard to the Matter of them, 
 and the Occafion upon which they were fpoken -, will 
 enable any one to underftand the Scope and Meaning 
 of them. But moreover there are many of our BlelTed 
 Saviour's Parables in which fuch Dodtrines are con- 
 tained as are of the utmoft Confequence and Impor- 
 tance in Religion, which are delivered in fo clear and 
 fenfible a Manner, and in which the Images and Al- 
 lufions are fo natural and agreeable -, that His View 
 and Defign in them could not have been more evident 
 and intelligible, tho' it it had been declared in fimple 
 and literal Propofitions. It were eafy to give many 
 inftances of this % but at prefent I fhall mention only 
 thefe three ; viz. the Parable of the Lord and his Ser- 
 vant, in Matt, xviii. 21, ^c. that of the good Samaritan 
 in Luke x. 25, ^c, and laftly, that of the Prodigal Son, 
 in chap, xv. 1 1 , ^c, which is the moll beautiful 
 - of 
 
 much to lead them into the Truth, againft which they were abfo- 
 lutely bent, as to check their Infolence and to leave them fpeech- 
 }efs. Matt. xxi. 23, &c. Mait. xxi'i. 41, ^c. But to the humble 
 and meek He always applied Himfelf, by taking all fit Occafions, 
 and uling all proper ways to inftru6t them. Dt Clagetis Opera- 
 tions of the Holy Spirit, Part II . chap, it, ^. 3. />• 78. 
 ; {0) Fid, Grot, S* Hammond, in loca^ . . 
 
a 8 S A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 of all (p), Andl appeal to any Man cf common Senfe, 
 whether the great Duties of Forgiving Injuries, and of 
 Charity to fuch as are in Diftrefs, which are the Sub- 
 jects of the two firfl Parables -, and the Infinite Mercy 
 and Goodnefs of God in forgiving the greateil Sinners 
 upon their true Repentance, which is the Defign of the 
 laft ; be not as clearly underflood, and as fully dif- 
 played \, nay, whether thro' the great Strength of Rea- 
 foning, upon which thefe Truths are founded, and 
 the lively aiTed'ing Manner in which they are repre- 
 •fented ; they do not enter into our Minds with more 
 Convidion, and operate moi"e powerfully upon our 
 Paffiohs, than if they had been delivered to us in bare 
 and naked Precepts. TheUfe of Parables therefore in 
 Religion, is fo far fromi being a juft Objedion againft 
 the Gofpel \ that it is one very great .Excellency and 
 Perfedion of it. And indeed the Ufe of Parables for 
 the enlightning and illuftrating of Moral Truths, and 
 to make them enter into the Mind with greater Force 
 and Penetration ; have been ever approved of and 
 .-efteemed by the wifeil Men in all Ages of the World (q). 
 
 And 
 
 (/>) Tnter omnes Chrlfti Parabolas eximla, plena affetluum, & 
 pulcherrimis pifta Coloribus. Grot, in Luc. xv. 20. ^ee alfoi 
 Slackwall's Sacred Claffics, 4to. Part 11. p. 303, <^c. 
 
 (q) Apud antiqiios ?:ondu7n captdbatur plaujibilii Or at to. Jllh 
 qui finipliciter ^ probanda rei caufa loquebaiitur., Parabclis referti 
 £)-ant ; quns exi/iime necejfavias^ mn ex eadem Caufi qua Poetis,fed 
 Mt ImbcciUiidtts no(ir<e admtnicula ftnt^ ^ dijferentem dr* audientejn ' 
 in refn prafentem deduciir:t. Senec. Epift. 59. FamUiare ^ Syris 
 C^ max'ime Palaeftinis, ad omnem ^^ermonem fuum Parabolas jun- 
 ^ere : nt quod Jimple:^ Pr^ceptum teneri ab Auditoribus non potejl^ 
 per Similitudinem Exemplaque teneatur. Hieron in Matt, xviii. 23. 
 
 We that are accuitonied to another Way of Learning, think 
 thefe Things ft range ; {z<iz. Parabolical Narrations) but this 
 was a very common W^ay in the Elder Time?, and it is to this Day 
 much ufed in the Eajier7i Countriesy to reprefent Duties to fome 
 under the Parables of Things as really done by others : as may Ids 
 feen in Lccman and F^z/w.^, befides what QkmsnsAlex, and othersa 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 1 89^ 
 
 And for this Reafon, the Writings of jEfop were fa 
 itiuch read and fludied by the beft Greek Philofophers, 
 and held in fuch prodigious Value and Eftimation by 
 them (r). But, 
 
 Secondly^ There is much greater Majefty and Subli- 
 mity of Thought, and more powerful and n^.oving. 
 Oratory to be found in the Bible, than in any human 
 Compofidons whatfoever. This every one inuft be 
 
 fenfible 
 
 Kave faid concerning the Antivnty-^Xi^ common Ufe of tHis TafU' 
 holical Way of Teaching. Stilling fleet's Letter to a Deijl. p. 132.. 
 See the Place. 
 
 Fable? were the firft Pieces of Wit that made their Appearance in- 
 the World ; and have been ftill highly valued, not only in Times 
 of the greateft Simplicity, but among the moil: polite Ages of Man- 
 kind. Jothafns Fable of the Trees is the Oldeft that is extant^ 
 and as beautiful as any v^hich have been made fmce that Time. 
 Ndthanh Fable of the Poor Man and his Lamb, is likewife more 
 antient than any that is extant, befides the abovementioned ; and had 
 fo good an E^efl as to convey Inftrudion to the Ear of a King 
 without offending it, and to bring the Man after God's own Heart 
 to a right Senfe of his Guilt, and his Duty. We find ^fop in the 
 moH: diflant Ages of Greece. And if v/e look into the very Begin- 
 ning of the Commonwealth of RG?ne^ we fee a Mutiny among the 
 common People, appeafed by the Fable of the Belly, and the 
 Limbs : which was indeed very proper to gain the Attention of 
 an incenfed Rabble, at a Time when perhaps they would have torn 
 to Pieces any Man who had preached the fame Doftrine to them» 
 in an open and direcl Manner. As Fables took their Birth in the 
 very Infancy of Learning, they never flourifhed more than when 
 Learning was at it's greateft Height. To juilify this AfTertion, I 
 ihall put my Reader in Mind of Horace the greateft Wit and Critic 
 in the Auguftan -Age ; and of Boileau the moft correft Poet among 
 the Moderns: not to mention la Fontaine, who by this Way of 
 Writing, is come more into vogue than any other Author of our 
 Times. Mr Addifon in Speclatcr, N*^. 183. 
 
 Naked LefTons and Precepts have nothiiig the Force that Images 
 and Parables have upon our Minds and Afreclions. Befides, that, 
 the very Study to unravel a Myfcery, furnifhes the Alemory withb 
 more Tokens to rem.ember it by ; a Tale in Emblem fmks deeper^^ 
 where the I,ife and Spirit of it is infinuated by a l<Ind of Biafs and 
 Surprize. VEftrange's Fables, %vo. Vol. I. p. 124, 125, See alfc-^ 
 fab. 255, 254. 
 
 {r) Vid, Dr CroxaU's Preface to his M/op^ Fables, 
 
ipo A Difc'ourje concerning the 
 
 fenfible of, who is in any Meafure converfanf in the 
 Sacred Writings. But for Example Sake, it may not 
 be amifs to fet before the Reader fome remarkable 
 Inftances of this Matter. Now the firft that I fhall 
 take notice of at this Time is the fourth Chapter ofDeut, 
 above-mentioned, which is not more remarkable for 
 the great Strength of Reafoning which I before pb- 
 ferved •, than for the mighty Force and Power of Ora- 
 tory and Eloquence which is difplayed therein (j). 
 The Author's fumming up the many great Favours 
 and BlelTings which God had beftowed upon that 
 People, in fuch a natural and beautiful Order ; His 
 exhorting them to Obedience from a due Regard to 
 their Credit and Reputation in the fight of their 
 [Neighbours ; at ver. 6. and his appealing to the fu- 
 perior Excellency and Dignity of their Nation •, in ver. 
 7, 8. are extremely moving and perfuafive. And 
 above all, the prodigious Concern which he Ihews for 
 them throughout the Chapter, and particularly at 
 ver, 26, adds fuch a commanding Power and Influence 
 to his whole Difcourfe ; that I believe it will be hard 
 to find any Thing equal to it in the beft Pagan Au- 
 thors. And the like may eafily be obferved in feveral 
 other Parts of Mofes's Writings, and particularly in 
 his Defcription of the Charader of Abraham ; in 
 which we fee not only an uncommon Piety, Pru- 
 dence, and Moderation, the moft remarkable Gene- 
 rofity, Humility, and Fortitude, with many other 
 great and excellent Endowments : but all thefe " fet 
 *' off with fuch Light of Reafon, fuch Integrity of 
 " Heart, fuch Simplicity of Manners, and fuch Beau- 
 *' ty and Skill of Addrefs ; as enabled him to expof- 
 
 " tulate 
 
 (j) If Mofes is not admitted to be a Writer infpiredby God, yet 
 he muft be allowed upon many Accounts, the greateft Genius this 
 World ever favv. Rn'ela*ior^ Examined with Candour, Vol, //. 
 h 204- 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 191 
 
 *' tulate with his Maker (/), not only with a Decency, 
 *' but alfo with a Dignity not to be defcribed j'* as an 
 Eminent Author well expreffes it (u). 
 
 The fame Perfuafive Oratory and Eloquence we 
 often meet with in the Book of Joh^ and particularly 
 in that Account which he gives of his Profperity ; chap, 
 XXIX. XXX. and xxxi. Which if it be confidered only 
 as a Human Compofition, it is, fays an Admirable 
 Critic, " a finer Pidlure of a Charitable and Good 
 " natured Man, than is to be met with in any other 
 '' Author (x)." And the La?7ientations of Jeremy j 
 are, as an Excellent Critic expreffes it, " A Piece of 
 " fuperlative Beauty, and in one Thought {chap. i. 
 " 12.) he comprifes all the Eloquence of Mourn- 
 " ing ( jv)." The fame F9rce of Oratory and Elo- 
 quence we may often obferve in theWritings ofStPaul, 
 His celebrated xvth Chapter of i Cor, is a Mafler Piece 
 in thisKind, as all good Critics have acknowledged fz). 
 And in the feveral Speeches and Defenfes made by him 
 in the J^s of the Apoflles (^), he fhews that he could 
 not only talk pertinently to his Subjed -, but alfo that he 
 underflood Human Nature well, and could touch the 
 PafTions with much Art and Addrefs, as an Eminent 
 Author well remarks {b). But the great Eloquence of 
 this Apoftle is more particularly obfervable in his 
 Epiftle to Philemon ; which, as a great Critic inti- 
 
 mates 
 
 {t) See Gen. xviii. 
 
 [u) Revelation examined with Candour, Vol. H. p. 203. 
 
 (;f) Mr Jddifon in Speftator, N^, 177. See alfo, Blachvairs 
 Sacred Claffics, 4to. Part I. p. 5, 6. 
 
 ( >•) Black wall, ibid. 
 
 (2) See particularly, BIachwall\ Sacred Claffics, 4to. Part II. 
 p. 3*S> &C' 
 
 {a) See Chapters the xiiith. xviith. xxth. and xxivth, 
 
 (i) Brown's Defenle, &c, chap, iii, p. 149, 
 
igz A Difcourje . coiicerning the 
 
 mates (c)^ is very much to be admired for it's 
 mio-hty Strength and Force of Perfuafion. But above 
 all, the lacred Hiflory gives us in one Circumflance, 
 a moll Convincing proof of St FauV% Eloquence ; 
 when the Men of Lyfira called him Mercury, hecaiife 
 he was the Chief Speaker^ AEls xiv. 12, 13. and would 
 have paid Divine Worfhip to him, as to the God who 
 invented and prefided over Eloquence. " Which 
 " one Account of our Apoftle (as an Excellent Wri- 
 '' ter well id) obferves) fets his Chara6ter, confidered 
 " as an Orator only, above all the Celebrated Rela- 
 *' tions of the Skill and Influence of Bemofthenes 
 " and his Contemiporarles. Their Power in fpeaking 
 *' was admired, but ftill it was thought Human : 
 *' Their Eloquence warmed and ravifhed the Hearers, 
 ** but ftill it was thought the Voice of Man^ not the 
 " Voice of God.'' And what a noble Idea of that Cou- 
 rage and Joy which refuks from fufferi?ig for Righ- 
 teoufnefs Sake^ is given to us in that PafTage of St Luke^ 
 (lately taken notice of by a very great Critic,) where 
 fpeaking of St Stephen he obferves, *' That the Good- 
 *' nefs of his Caufe, and the Sight of his Saviour at the 
 " Right Hand of His Eternal Father, made him fo 
 " undaunted and fo full of Joy even in Expeftation 
 " of a cruel Sentence and bloody Execution,'* that 
 
 his 
 
 (c) Si quid in genere Suaforio admirandumefl:, certe hoc Epiilo- 
 lium eft. In ifta enim brevitate fingulis fere verbis fingula Argu- 
 menta funt fubjefta. Scultet. in Proleg^m. ad Epiji. See alfo^ 
 Blackwall'j Sacred CU(Jtcs ^to. Part Jl. p. 271, &c. Dr MariliallV 
 Sermons^ Vol. IL p. ^529, 330. in which there are many ujefid 
 Objcrvatiom to this Purpofe. 
 
 (^/) Spectator No. 633. fee the Place, ^ia 71 ^ AvkclovH 
 
 OJJTQV VTi^dCoV Vt) 'f^^lAlfVi To //JV> }3 . •3-? » ? rfAiV^^f voi^-l^^J^Vd^ 
 
 kmi ^' (jnuM^cov 'iyiiijo* to /s Tho'/ Ppuwr, ovk ^ti att ^xa- 
 vov iy'inlo ctV djui ^ Aof«. Chryfoit. de Sacerdotio. Edit. 
 Cantab. 1712, 8vo. lib. iv. p. 190. Vid. loc. in quo multa W 
 de Infigni S, Pauli Eloquentia diierte narrantur. 
 
Religious Ol^ervation of the hor6!sT>2iy 103 
 
 his I' ace appeared as it had been the Face of an Angel ABs vi. 
 15; {e). Nay there are many fmgle Sentences in the Bible 
 which carry a much greater Force and Beauty in them, 
 than whole Difcourfes of the beft Fagan Writers. 
 That remarkable Saying of Joh in the Account of his 
 Behaviour abovementioned, viz. Tl)e Blejjing of him 
 that vjas ready to perifh came upon me, chap. xxix. 13. 
 hath been thought of this Kind. And of the fame Nar 
 ture are thofe PafTages in St FauW Epiftles, Rom,y\\u 
 32* Eph. iii. 19. 2 Cor. iv. 17. which the Reader 
 may confider at his Leifure, Cand to which many 
 others may be added without Number) in all which 
 there is fuch a Sublimity of Conception, and Majelly 
 of Thought, and Rapture of ExprefTion, as infinitely 
 furpaffes the moil celebrated Produdions of Greece and 
 Rome. And it v/as a Remark of Sir Hhomas Brown 
 on that Sentence in Frov. xix, 17. He that hath Fity 
 upon the Poor lendeth to the Lordy (as Mr AdJiJin ob- 
 ferves (f) from his Relig. Med,) that there is 
 more Rhetoric in that one Sentence, than in a Library 
 of Sermons. And yet as the fame excellent Perfoa 
 truly fiys ; " the fime Thought is carried much far- 
 '^ ther in the Nezv T^eflament^ where our BlefTed Saviour 
 " tells us in a mod pathetic Manner, that He fhall 
 *' hereafter regard the Cloathing of the Naked, the 
 '*' Feeding ot the Hungry, and the Vifiting of the 
 " Imprifoned ; as Offices done to Himfelf, and re- 
 " ward them accordingly." That God fhould be 
 pleafed with our Services to our poor Brethren per- 
 formed by His Juft Authority and Command, is in 
 Him very great and undeferved Goodnefs : but that 
 the Majefty of Heaven and Earth fliould put Himfelf 
 in their ftead^ and accept of our Charity to them as 
 done to Himfelf, and thereby tell us in a Manner, 
 
 O how 
 
 [e) Blackt^^allVzrtU.-p. 187. 
 
 (f) UrM^ifo/i, in SpedatoT, N^ iyj, 
 
194 -^ Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 how we may lay an Obligation upon His own Perfon ; 
 This is fo great and nchle a Thought, as could fcarce 
 ever enter into any Human Mind, and fuch an 
 Inilance of moving and perfuafive Oratory, as I be- 
 lieve is not to be iound in the whole World. And 
 indeed, we often find our Bleffed Saviour not only ar- 
 guing with the mofl amazing Strength and Force of 
 Reafoning, but alfo delivering Himfelf with fuch 
 Beauty of Thought and Expreflion •, as no one among 
 the Sons of Men can imitate. This is very plainly to 
 be feen in feveral PalTages of the Gofpel ( ^), but 
 chiefly in the Parables^ and particularly in thole three 
 abovementioned. {f. 187) in which, as 1 before ob- 
 ferved the Images and Allufioris are fo natural and 
 agreeable, fo lively and affecting, and the Difcourfe 
 which is grounded thereupon, fo moving and power- 
 ful *, that the like I am well affured is not to be met 
 with in any Human Writings. And then in the lafl 
 Place, as to Sublime and Majeftic Thoughts and De- 
 fcriptions j there is nothing of this Kind in the very belt 
 Human Authors, that comes any Thing near to what 
 we find in Holy Scripture. This may be difcovered 
 more or lefs throughout the v/hole SacredYoXum^^ but 
 particularly in the Poetical Books ; and chiefly in thofe 
 Places, where the Attributes and Perfedlions of God 
 are difplayed to us. To give fome few Inftances of 
 this Matter. Thus when the Holy Scriptures fpeak to 
 lis of the Omniprefence, Power, Majefly, and other 
 Perfeftions of God^ they ict them forth to us in thefc 
 and the like fublime Defcriptions. Whither jhall I go 
 from thy Spirit P or whither JJoall 1 flee from thy Pre- 
 fence ? If I afcend up into Heaven^ 'Thou art there : If 
 I make fny Bed in Hell, behold thou art there. If I take the 
 
 Wings- 
 
 [g) If the Reader hath a Mind to fee particular Inftances of this- 
 Matter, let himconfult Mr BlackwalPs Sacrfd ClaJJlcSy Part i/, 
 ^vhere he will find many that are molt Excdient and Admirable, 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 19^ 
 
 Win^s of the Mornings and dwell in the tittermoft Parts of 
 the Sea ; even there Jhall thy Hand lead me ^ and thy right 
 Hand jhall hold me. Pfal. cxxxix. 7 to 11. ne 
 Lord looketh to the Ends of the Earthy and feeth under 
 the whole Heaven. Job. xxviii. 24. At His Prefence 
 the Mountains quake and the Hills melt ; the Earth is 
 hurnt, yea the World and all that dwell therein. Nahum, 
 i. 5. At His Reproof the. Pillars of Heaven tremble and 
 are ajionijhed. Job, xxvi. 1 1. TFho fitteth upon the 
 Circle of the Earthy and the Inhabitants thereof are as 
 Grafshoppers. Who counteth the Nations as a Drop of the 
 Bucket^ and as the fmall Buft of the Balance^ and the 
 Inhabitants of the Earth as Nothing, Who meafures the 
 Waters in the Hollow of His Hand, and meteth out 
 Heaven with a Span, and comprehends the Buft of the 
 Earth in a Me a fur e •, who weighs the Mountains in Scales^ 
 and the Hills in a Balance. Ifa.x\. 22, 15, 17, 12. 
 Who covers Himfelf with Light as with a Garment, and 
 jlretcheth cut the Heavens like a Curtain ; ■ who layeth the 
 Beams of His Cham.bers in the Waters, and maketh the 
 Clouds His Chariot, and walketh upon the Wings of the 
 Wind, Pfal. civ. 2, 3. Thefe are the Defcriptions 
 which the Holy Scriptures give us of the Attributes 
 and Perfedlions of God ; and to the Inftances here 
 produced, many others might be added v/ithout Num- 
 ber. And now may we not challenge the Adverfaries 
 of our Faith, who are ever expreffing a mean and 
 contemptible Opinion of the Sacred Writings ; to fhew 
 any Thing in the moft celebrated Authors, Antient or 
 Modern, that comes any ways near to the Sublirnity 
 and Majeily of thefe Scriptural Defcriptions, as well as 
 to the other Excellencies and Perfections abovemen- 
 tioned ? And indeed, tho' it was not the Defign of God 
 in Holy Scripture, to allure Men to the Belief and 
 Pradice of Religion by the Force of Words and the 
 Power of Eloquence ; but to deliver His Mind in all 
 EfTential Points with great Plaiiineis and Perfpicuity, 
 and to confirm them v/ith the mQfl abundant Evi- 
 
196 A Dtfcourje concerning the 
 
 derxe ; and therefore as St Vaul obferves, the Gofpel 
 zvas not p'cached 'With the enticing Words of Man's TVifdom^ 
 hit in Bemonji ration of the Spirit and of Power : i Cor. 
 ii. 4. Yet on the other fide it is certain, that in the De- 
 fcriptive Parts ("where there is Room for it) tliere is no 
 Oratory and Eloquence that can be compared to that 
 of the Holy Scripture, neither are there any where to 
 be found fuch SiihTune and Majeflic Defcriptions as we 
 meet v/ith therein -, and that with refpe6t to many 
 Particulars, but chiefly to the Divine Attributes and 
 Perfecftions. And I think it could not wtII be other- 
 wife •, fince when God Almighty fpeaks of Plis own 
 Ferfc(5lions, it is fcarce poilible, but that He muft 
 fpeak like H imfelf ; and that muit needs be in fuch a 
 Manner, as no Created Beings can imitate. And thus 
 much concerning the Superiour Excellency of the Holy 
 Scripture to that of any Human Writings. By ob- 
 ferving which, it is not my Defign to caft the leaft 
 Difparagement and Refle6lion upon any Authors either 
 of the tormer or latter Times ; in many of which, 
 there are with regard to the great Strength of Reafon- 
 ing, the Sublimity of Thought and Eloquence of Ex- 
 prefiion, the Ufefulncfs of Precepts and Entertainments 
 of Hifrory •, many Things to be found that are truly 
 noble and admirable, and very worthy of our En- 
 quiry and Efteem. The Excellencies and Perfedions 
 of thefe Writers, I can compare to nothing better than 
 to the Stars in the Firmament ; they fhine forth with 
 a peculiar and diflinguifhing Brightnefs : but bring 
 the Holy Scriptures into View, and the Sun immediate- 
 ly rifes in his ftdl Majefty and Strength -, and all the 
 lefTer Lights vanifli and difippear, and are not able to 
 iland beiore him. And thus having fliewn the great 
 Benefits and Advantages of reading the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, and thar v/ith refpccl to the prefent Delight and 
 Satishidion which we may receive thereby, as v/ell as 
 to our Infcruclion and Confirniarion in Religion ; I 
 proceed in i\-]^ 
 
 "third 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 1 97 
 
 ihird Place^ to confider the great Sin and Danger 
 gF n.egle(5ling this Duty. But becaufe this muft needs 
 \yt very eafily perceived from what hath^been ah-eady 
 laid down in this Chapter, concerning th'e Neceillty of 
 this Duty, and the many great Benefits and Advan- 
 tages of it ; I fhall therefore be very fhort upon this 
 Head. Now the great Sin and Danger of neglediing 
 to read the Holy Scriptures will be very plain and evi- 
 dent fi-om thefe three Confiderations. 
 
 Firft. The Holy Scriptures are a Revelation of 
 God's Will to Mankind, and as fuch, are defigned to 
 inftrud us in our Duty : they are therefore in the Na- 
 ture of a ^aknt^ which God hath put into our Hands, 
 and for the Ufe of which we mufi give a ftricl Account' 
 to Him at the Great Day. If therefore we negled to 
 read them and apply them to that Purpofe for which 
 they were given to us ; we abufe the Talent, which 
 God has entrufted us with ; and not only fo •, but we 
 do alio defpife the Gift of God, and render it con- 
 temptible. And how great an Affi'oni^that is to God, 
 will appear not only from the Excellency of the Scrip- 
 tures themfelves, which are nothing lels than the PVords 
 of Eternc^l Life \ John vi. 68. but alfo in the. 
 
 Second Place^ From the Dignity of That Perfon, 
 who is the Meffenger of this Bleffed Revelation. And 
 this is Jefiis Chrift^ the Son of the Living God, God 
 hath at fundry Times and in diverfe Manners fpcke taito 
 the Fathers by the Prophets, hut in thefe Lafi Days He 
 hath fpoken unto us hy His Son. Hch. i. i. And therefore 
 a Negle(5l of This Divine MeiTenger will encreafe and 
 inflame our Guilt : in proportion to the Dignity and 
 Excellency of His Perfon \ as I before obfcrved {h). 
 But moreover, in the 
 
 'Third and la[i Place^ The Neglefl of reading the 
 Holy Scriptures, is not only an Abufe and Contempt 
 
 O 3 of 
 
 [h)Vid. p. 128, 129. 
 
198 A Difcourfe concernhig th 
 
 of the Gift of God, and our BlefTed Saviour the Di- 
 fpenfer of it ; but it is alfo of the utmoft Damage and 
 Prejudice to our own felves. For by this Means we are 
 kept in Ignorance of that Duty, which is of Neceflity 
 to be done in order to our Salvation. And this is fuch 
 an Ignorance as will not admit of the leaft Excufe ; 
 fmce it is altogether owing to our own Fault and Neg- 
 ligence. The Scriptures do indeed plainly intimate 
 that Men's Crimes fliali be differently puniflied, in Pro- 
 portion to the Light and Knowledge which they enjoy. 
 And our BleiTed Saviour Himfelf tells us, that That Ser- 
 vant which knew not his Lord* slVill fiall be beaten with few 
 Stripes, in comparifon of him that did know it, Luke 
 xii. 48. But then, this is always to be underftood of 
 fuch Ignorance, as it is not in a Man's Power eafily to 
 avoid. This is made by St Paul, the Excufe for the 
 Ahenian's Miftake in their Divine Worfnip, viz, that 
 they lived in tht ^i?nes cf Ignorance, Acts xvii. 30. But 
 the Scripture in many Places informs us, that God will 
 not fo judge of Men, now that TJight is come into the 
 V/orld. If Men will not be guided and dired:ed by it, 
 but hve Darknefi rather than light, our BlefTed Saviour 
 idiys> it ftjall be to their Condemnation. John'iii. 19. God 
 will make all reafonable Allowance for the Miflakes 
 and Weaknefs of Men ♦, and provided they will but 
 fincerely endeavour to difcharge their Duty ; He will 
 accept of them, notwithflanding their many Frail- 
 ties and Imperfe6lions. But if Men will be idle, and 
 fquander away their precious Time in Vanity and Sin ; 
 He will deal with them as they deferve. If when He 
 hath put a noble and excellent Talent into their Hands, 
 which they may improve to the Purchafe of Immortal 
 Life, they will yet be flothful with it, and bury it in 
 the Earth •, He hath told them beforehand what fliall 
 be their Doom *, Caftye the Unprofitable Servant into outer 
 Darknefs, there Jhall be TVeeping and Gnafhing of T!eeth^ 
 Matt, XXV, 30. And thus I have confidered the Ne- 
 celTary and Idifpenfable Duty of reading the Holy 
 
 Scriptures I 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 109 
 
 Scriptures ; and the great Benefits and Advantages 
 thereof, together with the Sin and Danger of Negled- 
 ing it. I fhould now, in the Fourth and laft Place^ 
 apply what hath been laid down upon this Head, to 
 the Subje6l of this Difcourfe, by fhewing the Necef- 
 fity of difcharging this Duty of reading the Holy 
 Scriptures upon the Lord's Day. But I fliall firft 
 treat of the other Religious Duties of the Day, and 
 then make an Application of them altogether. 
 
 04 
 
 H A 
 
2QO 
 
 Jjijcourfe concerning the 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Concerning the Duty of Divine Meditation, 
 
 E^4fe HAT God in the Creation of Man 
 
 hath endued him v/ith a Rational and 
 Immortal Soul, capable of thinking 
 and refledling upon Him, and the 
 many and great Duties which he 
 owes to Him -, and that in the due 
 and proper Exercife of his Under- 
 ftanding not only the Dignity and Excellency of his 
 Nature above that of the Brutes^ but alfo his true and 
 real Happinefs and Perfection confifts {i) ♦, is a Matter 
 that has been largely fliewn by many ancient Philo- 
 fophers (k)^ as well as what frequently occurs in Mo- 
 dern Writers. And indeed it is fo very clear and plain 
 in itfelf, that there is no NecefTity of ufing many Ar- 
 guments 
 
 (z) Pronaque cum fpe6len£ Animaiia caelera Terram, 
 
 Os Homini iublime dedit j cselumque tueri ^ 
 
 Juffit, & eredlos ad lidera tollere Vultus. 
 
 Ovid Met amor ph. lib. i. Fab. 2, 
 
 [k)See farticularhs Arillot. Ethic, ad Nicom. lib. x. cap. 
 Viii. Arrian in Epiclet. lib. ii. cap. viii. 
 
 Man alone of all Anifnals hatk Vnderjiar.ding to know his God', 
 tvhat nvatleth this Knczvledge, unlefs it be to enable Man and to 
 raife him to an Imitation and Participation of the Divinity, Mi- 
 nute Philofopher, Vol. I. p 328. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 201 
 <ruments in Proof of it. But however, it is not my 
 Defign at prefent to treat of this Particular, but to 
 ihew'the abfolute Neceffity of a ferious and frequent 
 Meditation, upon the great Points of ReHgion, in 
 order to enable us to lead a truly Chrijlian Life and 
 Converfation \ fuch as will nnake us like to God here, 
 and eternally happy with Him hereafter. Thefe 
 Points are what every one may foon be made fenfible 
 of; Would to God they could be as eafily perfuaded to 
 ji due Confideration of them! They are chiefly and 
 principally thefe following, viz. the Being and Attri-> 
 butes of God, His Providence and Government of the 
 World, His Infinite Goodnefs and Love to Mankind, 
 manifelled in our Creation, and in the innumerable 
 Bleffings which we enjoy •, but above all, in the fending 
 His only Begotten Son into the World for our Redemp- 
 tion •, the Shortnefs and Uncertainty of this prefent Life ; 
 the Vanity of all Earthly Enjoyments ; the great De- 
 light and Pleafure of Religion and a good Confcience -, 
 the Uneafinefs and Torment of a guilty Mind •, the 
 great Evil and Danger of Sin •, the Neceffity and Ter- 
 rour of Death •, the Confiderations of a Future Judg- 
 ment, and Eternal Happinefs and Mifery in the 
 World to come. Thefe are what I call the great 
 Points of Religion. And if a Man would really 
 defire to lead the truly Chriftian Life and Converfation, 
 it is abfolutely neceffary not only that he believes and 
 is perfuaded of the Truth of thefe Things -, but alfo that 
 he fo frequently and ferioufly thinks of and revolves them 
 in his Mind, that they have a Conflant and Regular 
 Effedt and Influence upon his Affeftions : for other- 
 wife (as will be fully fliewn hereafter), he will never be 
 able to maintain his Integrity and preferve a good 
 Confcience, againfl: the Force and Power of Tempta- 
 tion. He may indeed be very much charmed with 
 the Beauty of Virtue, and tranfported with the Re- 
 wards that are annex*d to it, and thereupon feem flrmly 
 refolved to obferve and pradice it j but unlefs his 
 
 Reibludoi}s 
 
, 2o2 A Dijcourfe concerning the 
 
 Refolutions are grounded upon a deep Senfe and 
 through Convidlion of the ftrong Motives of Religion, 
 and by that means he has a much greater Love for 
 God and Heavenly Things, than lOr the Things of 
 this Life •, he will infallibly give way whenever the 
 Delights and Pleafures of the World ftand in Competi- 
 tion with his Duty (/) : and the Belief and Perfuafion 
 of another World will have no Effed:, if iiis Heart and 
 Affedlions are wholly fet upon this. We fee this made 
 good by every Days Experience. Men beli^^ve and 
 profefs Religion, and talk of and defend it with great 
 Earneftnefs and Zeal, and are many times infinitely nice 
 and fcrupulous in performing the Rites and Ceremonies 
 of it •, and yet for want of duly confidering the Na- 
 ture and Cor.fequences of Things, the Sin which fo 
 eafily hefets them commonly gets the Vidory ever them ; 
 and with the Natural Man defcribed by St Paul, Rom. 
 vii. they find, that the good that they would, they do not^ 
 hut the Evil which they would not, that they do. And that 
 tho' they delight in the Law of God after the inward 
 Man, yet they fee another Law in their Members warring 
 againft the Law of their Mind, and bringing them into 
 Captivity to the Law of Sin, ver, 19, &c. It is there- 
 fore abfolutely necelTary to the Praftice of Piety and 
 Virme, that the great Motives of Religion be fre- 
 quently thought upon, and duly imprinted upon the 
 Minds of Men -, and that they allow themfelves fome 
 fxed and fiated Seafons and Opportunities for a more 
 than ordinary Reflexion and Meditation upon Divine 
 Things. The Neceflity of this I might eafily fhew, 
 
 with 
 
 (/) Quidam ad magnificas voces excitantur, &tranfeunt in affec^^ 
 turn diccntium, alacres vultu & animo: — R^.pit illos inftigatque re- 
 Tum pulchritude. — Juvat protinus quae audias, facere. Afficiuntur 
 illi & funt quales jubentur, fi iUa animo forma permaneat, fi non 
 impetum infignem protinus populus honeili difluafor excipiat. 
 Pauci illam quam conceperant Mentem, domuin perferrc potuerunt.. 
 Ssnec,EpiJf,\Q^. 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 203 
 with Refpe6l to all the Motives of Rehgion before- 
 mentioned. But becaufe many of thefe are very plain 
 and obvious to common Apprehenfion, and the Force 
 and Power of them in fome Meafure perceived by 
 every ones Experience -, I Ihall therefore at prefent 
 fay but little of them, but fliall infift more largely 
 on two or three of thofe Motives, which are of the 
 utmoft Confequence and Importance ; and which, 
 tho' in themfelves very plain and eafy to be apprehend- 
 ed, yet thro' the extreme CarelelTnefs and Stupidity 
 of Mankind, and the many Cavils and Qbjedions 
 of the Adverfaries of our Faith, Men are apt to give 
 but little Heed and Attention to them, or to fall into 
 fatal Errours and Miftakes about them -, by which 
 Means they have little or no Effedl and Influence upon 
 them. Now concerning many of thofe Confidera- 
 tions before mentioned, fuch as the Shortnefs and Un- 
 certainty of this Life, the great Evil and Danger of 
 Sin, the extreme Uneafinels of a guilty Confcience, . 
 and the like, there will be no Occafion to fay much ; 
 fince every Man by his own Senfe and Experience muft 
 in a good Meafure be acquainted with thefe Things. 
 But neverthelefs it will be of great Service to Mankind^ 
 both to fecure them againft the Power of TemptatioiH 
 and to confirm them in the Pradice of Virtue -, fre- 
 quently to think and meditate upon them. If Mer| 
 are really defirous to get above this World, and all 
 the alluring Pleafures of it, and to have their Conver- 
 fation in Heaven, as the Apoftle expreffes it ; Phil, iiu 
 20. it will be highly proper and necelTary to this End, 
 that they often fit down and confider feriouily with 
 themfelves, how fhort and uncertain the Life of Man 
 is {in) ; that he fleeth as a Shadow and contlnueth^ 
 
 not, 
 
 {p) Fugit irreparabile Tempus. Viyg- Georg. lib. in, 
 
 Vitac fumma brevis fpem nos vetat inchoare longam. 
 
 Horat. lib. i. Od. 4. 
 Non eft, crede mihi, f^ipientis dicere, vivam ; 
 Sera nimis vita eft Craftina, vive hcdie. 
 
 Martial, lib, i. Eptg. 1 6, •. 
 
204 A Difcourfe concernhig the 
 
 mt, Joh. XIV. 2. Ihat his Bays are fivijter than a 
 Poji, chap. ix. 25. 'Tbat bis Life is even as a Vapour 
 that appear eth for a little Time and then vanijheth away. 
 Ja?n. iv. 14. And that as David fliid in another 
 Cafe, there is hut a Step hetzveen every one of us and 
 Death, I Sa7n, xx. 3. To confiderthe Vanity of his 
 prefent Condition, how every Man walketh in a vain 
 Shadow y and difqtdeteth himfelf in vain, Pfalm xxxix. 6. 
 And how little Profit he hath of all his Labour which he 
 iaketh^ a?id of the Vexation of his Heart wherein he hath 
 laboured under the Sun. Ecd. i. 3. chap, ii. 22. How 
 different Things appear in the Enjoyment from what 
 tliey did in Expedtation (n). EIow little true and fm- 
 cere Pleafure there is in this Life, and how foon it 
 pafles away (0) •, and Sicknefs, Old Age, and Death 
 come upon us. And when we have obtained thofe 
 Things v/hich we eagerly fought after, how prefently 
 we become tired of them, and think every other State and 
 Condidon of Life better than our own (p) ; with many 
 other Confiderations which fully manifeil the Weak- 
 ^ nefs and Infufficiency of our prefent Condition ; and 
 that when we have looked upon all the Works which we 
 have laboured to do^ behold all is Vanity and Vexation of 
 Spirit. Ecclef ii. 11. To confider the great Happinefs 
 and Security of Virtue and a good Confcience. fhat 
 the Ways of Religion are ways of Pleafantnefs., and that all 
 her Paths are Peace. Prov. iii. 17. Jnd that the Work 
 
 of 
 
 [ti) See this very beaut if filly defcribed by Solomon, in Ecckf, ii. 
 
 {q) Optima quaeque dies miferis A'fortalibus sevi 
 Prima fugit: fubeunt Morbi triftifque feneflus: 
 Et Labor, & durae rapit inclementia Mortis. Virg, ih'id^ 
 
 {p) Qui fit, Maecenas, ut Nemo, quam fibi fortem 
 Seu Ratio dederit, feu Fors objecerit, ilia 
 Cor.tentus vivat: laudet diverla lequentes? 
 •• llorat, lib. t, S^t. L 
 
Religious Obferimfion of the Lord's Day. 205 
 
 of Right eoufnefs JImU he Peace ^ and the Effeol of Right e- 
 mfnefs S^uietnefs and (q) Affurance for ever. Ifa, xxxii. 1 7. 
 and on the odief Side to confider the extreme Uneafi- 
 nefs and Torment of a Guilty Mind (r). ^hat the 
 Wicked are like the 1'rouhled Sea when it cannot reft ; and 
 that there is no Peace {faith my God) to the Wicked {s), 
 Ifa. Ivii. 20, 21. And further yet, to confider the great 
 and manifeft Danger of Sin and Wickednefs ; fince 
 the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven agawft all 
 Ungodlinefs and Unrighteoufnefs of Men. Rem. i. 18. 
 And that Death will foon come upon us all without 
 
 Exception 
 
 (q) Integer vitoe fcelerifque purus 
 
 Non eget Mauri Jaculis neque area, 
 Nee venenatis gravida fagittis. 
 
 Fufce pharetra. Horat, lib, i. Od.TZ, 
 
 Juftum & tenacem propofiti virum 
 Non Civium ardor prava Jubentium, 
 Non vukus inftantis Tyranni, 
 Mente quatit folida ; neque AuHer 
 Dux inquieti turbidus Adriae : 
 Nee fulminantis magna Jovis Manus. 
 Si fra<^us illabatur Orbis, 
 Impavidum ferient ruinae. Id. lib. Hi. Od. 3. 
 
 O vitx PhiloropKIa Dux ! O virtutum Indagatrix, expultrixque 
 vitiorum I Ur.us dies bene, & ex Prsceptis tuis adus, peceanti Im- 
 mortalitati anteponendus eft. Cic. Tufc. ^iajl- lib. v. 
 
 (r) See Archbijhop Dawes'j Sermon on a wounded Spirit p. 13, 
 14. in which there are fever al remarkable Injlances given of ibis 
 Matter. 
 
 (s) — Hie murus aheneus ello, 
 
 Nil confcire fibi, nulla pallefcere eulpa. 
 
 Hor. lib. i. Epift. i, 
 Exemplo quodeunque malocommittitur, ipfx 
 Dilplicet Audio ri. Juvenal Sat. xiii. 
 
 • Poena ^utem vehemens, ae multo fevior illis, 
 Quas & Cacdicius gravis invenit aut Rhadamanthas, 
 Noc^e dieque luum, geftare, in Peclore Teftem. Id. ibid. 
 
 hyJl^' i^ii^ocL in Pjthag. Jur, Carm. p, ijS> 
 
2o6 A brfcourfe concerning the 
 
 Exceplion^ (t)^ and carry us to Judgment Hek ix. 27. 
 and that if we die in our Sins without Repentance, 
 we fall into the Hands of the Living God. Heh. x. 31. 
 Who is a Jealous God, Excd. xx. 5. and a Confumi7ig 
 Ere. Heh, xii. 29. I fay if Men are really and hearti- 
 ly defirous to get above this World, and to have their 
 Converfation in Heaven, it will be highly neceffary 
 and expedient that they frequently entertain their 
 Minds with thefe and fuch like Refledions. And it 
 is fo far from being a Matter of great Uneafinefs and 
 Terrour, to meditate upon {u) Death and {x) Judg- 
 ment, as fome Men imagine -, that on the contrary 
 the Beft and moft Effedual Means to deliver ourfelves 
 from the Fear and Terrour of them, is frequently and 
 habitually to confider and refled upon them. But 
 thefe Reflexions will not of themfelves be fufficient 
 
 to 
 
 (t) Pallida mors aequo pulfat pede Pauperum Tabernas 
 
 Regn mqueTurres, Horat. lib. i. Od. 4, 
 
 Intaflis opulentior 
 
 Thefauris Arabum & divitis Indix, 
 
 CiEmentis licet occupes 
 
 Tyrrhenum omne tuis & mare Apulicum 5 
 
 Si figit adamanrinos 
 
 Summis verticibus, dira necefStas 
 
 Clavos ; non animum metu, 
 
 Non Mortis laqueis expedies caput. Idem lib. Hi. Od. 24. 
 \u) Tu tamen mortem, ut ounquam timcas, Temper cogita,' 
 Senec. Epiji. xtlx. 
 
 (x) In like manner the future Judgment of Mankind, is, in it J el fy 
 far from hetn^ an OhjeB of Terrour. For that we are moral ac- 
 countable Creatures is owing to our Su/eriour Capacities, which are 
 the Diftinguijhing Honour and Dignity of our Nature ; and nothing 
 can be a more Comfortable Refieaion to a well difpos'd Mind, than 
 that it's Integrity) will be tried and rewarded by a Being of Uner- 
 ring Wifdom, Inflexible Jujiice, andUnlimitcdGoodnefs. The 
 
 Future Judgment is not r even led with a view to alarm and confound 
 the Mind ; but to rejirai;. thofe Irregular Pra^ices which are the 
 jureji Ground of Melancboly^^ujpicionSyandinward Horrour. Fofler'/ 
 Sermons, p. 21, 22, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 207 
 
 tofecure Men againft the Power of Temptation, and 
 to preferve them in their Integrity. If they defign to 
 lead the truly Chriftian Life and fuch as will render 
 them acceptable to God ; there are feveral other Im- 
 portant Points of Religion which will require a very 
 ferious and frequent Confideration ♦, and particularly 
 thefe following, viz, the Being and Attributes of 
 God •, His Univerfal Providence and Government 
 of the World •, His Infinite Love and Goodnefs to 
 Mankind, manifefted in the Redemption of the World 
 by the Death of His Son ; and lad of all-, the Ever- 
 lafting Blifs and Happinefs which fhall be conferred 
 on Righteous and Good Men, and the Everlafting and 
 Unfpeakable Torments which fhall be infli6led on the 
 Wicked in a Future Snate. The abfolute Neceffity of 
 frequently thinking and receding upon which Points 
 I fhall now proceed diftindly to Ihew, not only upon 
 the Account of the great Influence which a due Con- 
 fideration of them has upon Religion •, but alfo be- 
 caufe ftho' they are fufficiently clear and evident in 
 themfelves, yet) thro* the extreme CarelefTnefs and 
 Inadvertency of Mankind, and the crafty Infmuations 
 and Cavils of Infidels •, many Perfons are apt to fall 
 into dangerous and fatal Errours, or at leail into great 
 Doubts and Sufpicions about them. But before I proceed 
 to the Confideration of thefe Points, there is one Par- 
 ticular which mud never be forgot, wlien we are treat- 
 ing of the Duty of Divine Meditation upon the Lord's 
 Bay \ becaufe it is a Neceilliry and Eflential Part of 
 the Duty of that Day, and cannot admit of any Relaxa- 
 tion and Indulgence \ as many other Pardculars may 
 fometimes do •, as will be feen hereafter : and that 
 is the Duty of refleding and meditating upon the 
 Word of God which we have on that Day heard in His 
 Holy Church. Now the NecelTity of this Duty will 
 very plainly appear from the End and Defign for 
 which tiie Word of God is preached to us, which is 
 exadly the lame as that for which the Holy Scrip- 
 tures 
 
2o8 A Dtfcourfe concerning the 
 
 tures were firft written *, viz, to inftru6b us in tHd 
 Knowledge of our Duty, and by proper Motives 
 and Arguments to ftir us up to the Pradice of it. And 
 therefore if we reft fatisfied with the bare hearing of 
 God's Word, without duly thinking and meditating 
 upon it, and making an Application of it to the true 
 State and Condition of our Souls •, we not only abufe 
 this Noble and Excellent Talent, by defeating the great 
 End and Defign for which God hath given it to us ; 
 but we alfo entirely loofe the Benefit and Advantage 
 of what we have heard, and render it unfruitful : fmce 
 how judicious and eloquent foever the Difcourfes may 
 be v/hich are delivered to us, they are nothing but a vain 
 and idle Amufement •, if they are not caretully confi- 
 dered and refieded upon, and a proper Ufe and Appli- 
 cation be not made of them. In Order to infpire us 
 with a Senfe of which Truth •, the Holy Scriptures 
 have in many Places exhorted us to a due and ferious 
 Meditation upon the Word of God, in order to the 
 Pradtice of it. Thus fays Jofhua^ 'fhe Book of the Lavj 
 ft) ail not depart out of thy Mouth ; hut thou fhalt meditate 
 therein Day andlSlight, Jo/h. i, 8, and St Paul, we ought 
 to give the more earneft heed to the Things which we have 
 heard, left at any Tij?ie we fhould let them flip. Heb. ii. i. 
 And again, what the fame Apoftle enjoined Tiinothy 
 may in a good Mealiire be applied to all Chriftians^y 
 viz. Give Attendance to Reading, to Exhortation, to Doc- 
 trine. Meditate upon thefe 'Things, give thyfelf wholly to 
 ihein, iTim.iv, 13, 15. And in the Pradlice of this 
 great Duty, the Pfalmiftftts before us his own Example. 
 Thy Word Lord have I hid in my Heart, that I might 
 not fin againft Thee. I will meditate in thy Precepts, and 
 have Refpe5i unto Thy Ways. I will delight myfelf in Thy 
 Statutes, I will not forget Thy Word. Thy Teftimoines 
 alfo are my Delight and my Counfellers. And Thy Com- 
 mandments are ever with 7ne. Pfal. cxix. 11, 1^, 16, 
 24, 98. And farther, our BleiTed Saviour has given 
 us a very exprefs Caution in this Matter, Tah heed^ 
 
 - fays 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 209 
 
 fiiys He, how ye hear ; i. e. not only with what Atten- 
 tion, but with what Profit [y). For zvhofoever halh,i.e,\Yho 
 conftantly and fledfaftly retains my Dodrine (2), la 
 him /hall be given {a) •, and whofoever hath not^ from 
 him /ball he taken ^ even that which he feemeth to have. 
 Luke vm. 18. The Meaning is, that in Proportion to 
 the Diligence and AfFedion with which Men hear the 
 Word of God, and the life and Improvement which 
 they make of It ; fhall the Knowledge and Advan- 
 tage be which they fhall receive therefrom. And that 
 Men cannot make a jail and proper Improvement of 
 God's Word without duly confidering and meditating 
 upon ^ it ; our Bleffed Saviour fliews very fiilly in 
 a diftind Parable, upon which that Text is grounded : 
 in v/hich he obfervcs that the true Reafon why the 
 Preaching of God's Word hath fo little Effed upon 
 the Generality of Mankind -, is becaufe they fatisfy 
 themfelves with the bare hearing of it, without ferioufly 
 re/leBing upon it, and making an Application thereof 
 to the State and Condidon of their Souls. For, fays 
 Pie, when the ^eed is /own ^ which is the JVord of Gcd ; 
 the Devil cometh and taketh away the Word out of the 
 Hearts ' of fome^ left they fJoould believe and be faved. And 
 others when they have heard go forth^ and are choaked 
 with Cares, and Riches, and Pleafures of this Life, and 
 hringno Fruit to Perfe^ion, ver, 11, 12, 14. i, e. Tho' 
 Men do ateend to the Word of God, when preached 
 to them, yet they do not ferioudy confider and medi- 
 tate upon it, nor fuffer it to gain upon their Hearts and 
 
 P AfFedions 
 
 (y) Videte ergo quomodo audiatis, i, e. quo afFedu 8c quo 
 fruftu. Bez. in loc. 
 
 (x) Qui enjm habet. i. e. qui conilanter retinet Do<5lrinam 
 mep.m. VatabL in loc. 
 
 ^('2)Menrura Carnis & Sanguinis h sec eft, va3 vacuum reclpit, 
 plenum non recipit amplius. At Menfura Dei haec eft. Plenum re- 
 cipit, vacuum non recipit. Deus non dat Sapientiam^ nifi Ei cui 
 f ft fapientJa. UghtfQot e^ Kabbimi in Hor. tisbry 
 
2 1 o \A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 AfFedlons •, but they content themfelves with the bare 
 hearing of the Word, and immediately betake them- . 
 felves to the Riches and Pleafures of this Life ; by 
 which Means it becomes unfruitful, and hath not the 
 lead Effect and Influence upon tliem. This is a very 
 fatal and dangerous Errour \ and yet it is what Men 
 have been too apt to fall into in all Ages of the World. 
 The antient Philofophers do frequently and bitterly 
 complain upon this Head -, that the Generality of their 
 Difciples came to their Schools rather to pleafe and 
 gratify their Curiofity, and to furnifh themfelves with • 
 Matter for Difpute-, than feriouily to obferve, and di- 
 ligently to pra6lice the Inftrudions and Precepts 
 there delivered to them {h). Which Condud Ariftotle 
 elegantly coir.pares to that of fick Men •, who fhould 
 expect to be healed of their Diilempers by hearing 
 their Phyiicians difcourfe to them., tho' they fliould 
 obferve none of their Dire61:ions : and without Doubt, 
 fays he, the Minds of the Difciples were as much im- 
 proved by fuch Kind of Philofophy, as the Health 
 of the others Bodies by fuch Phyfic. And the fame 
 Com.plaint has been continually made by all Chriftian 
 Writers in all Ages of the Church. St. Chryfoftc7n has 
 a very fine Homily upon this Subje6l('^)j in which he 
 
 tells 
 
 (b) 'AA\' o\ rroWoi Trwrct y^ a '^■/tJc'(71V' ^ cT* t" ^o^v 
 
 Tl ^Ol^l^ii? Toi^ KcLl-f^' -(TlVi 01 <rfS )A7^0oV CLY^'i^Cl fj5p ^[XlKco^y 
 
 Ariu. Ethic. ad'Nic. Lib. ii. Chap. 3 
 
 Non novimus qucfdam qui multis apud Philofophiam annis per- 
 
 federint, Sc ne colorem quidem duxerint ? Quidam veniunt ut 
 
 audi.mr, non ut difcant : licut in Theatrum voiuptatis Caufa ad de- 
 lectandas aures Oratione vel Voce vel Fabulis ducimur Magnam 
 hanc Auditorum Partem videbis, cui Philofophi fJiola Diverfo- 
 lium otii fit. Non id agunt ut aliqua i'lic vitia deponant, ut ali- 
 quAm legem viti£ accipiant, ad quam mores faos exigant, led ut ob" 
 ledlameato aurium perfruantur. «Sr//^r, £^y?. ic8. 
 
 (V) Horn. 5. iaMatt, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 211 
 
 tells the People of his Time, that tho' they did care- 
 fully and diligently attend to the Word of God when 
 preached to them ; yet as foon as they were departed 
 from the Congregation, with the Change of Place 
 they immediately changed their Minds, and quite ex- 
 tinguifhed that Fire of Devotion which the Word of 
 God had kindled in their Hearts. The Caufe of 
 which this eloquent Preacher afcribes to their betaking 
 themfelves immediately to the Cares and Pleafures of 
 this Life, and the permcious Converflition of corrupt 
 and wicked Men. And therefore to prevent this 
 great Mifchief, he earneftly advifes them when the 
 Service of the Church is over, to retire home and to 
 read the Holy Scriptures with their Families, and di- 
 ligently compare what they have heard at Church 
 with them ; that by this Means it may be the more 
 deeply imprinted on their Minds, and that they may 
 make the Preacher's Difcourfes their own^ by a due and 
 careful Meditation, The abfolute Neceflity of which » 
 in order to receive any Benefit and Advantage by 
 hearing of the Word, he fhews at large in that Ho- 
 mily ; and confirms it by feveral excellent Argu- 
 ments and Similitudes, which thofe v/ho have a Mind 
 to it, may fee at their Leifure. If therefore we are 
 really defirous to reap any Profit from the Preaching 
 of God's Word ; we muft be infinitely careful that 
 we attend upon it v/ith due and proper Qualifications 
 of Mind : that we do not come to Church to gratify 
 our Curiofity, nor to make Obfervations upon the 
 Gifts and Qualifications of the Preacher •, but with 
 the fole View of being inftruded in the Will of God, 
 in order to our Salvation. To this End, as our 
 BlefTed Saviour advifes us, Luke viii. 18. we mufl 
 take heed how we hear. And as St. Paul obferved of 
 the 'Thejfalonians^ when the Word of God is preached 
 to us, we mud receive It not as the Word of Men^ 
 hut {as it is in 'Truth) the Word of God, 1 Thef. ii. 13. 
 and when wx have devoutly attended upon the 
 
 P 2 hearin.^ 
 
212 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 hearing of God's Word, we mufl not rhink that 
 we have fufRciently difcharged our Duty in this Par- 
 ticular •, but we muft dihgently refled and meditate 
 upon it, and make a due Application of it to the 
 State and Condition cf our Souls. Thus, if any 
 Toint of Chnftian Dodrine has in the Preacher*s Dif- 
 courfe been enlarged upon, we mufb confider with 
 ourfelves whether we really believe that Dodrine as 
 it is revealed in Holy Scripture ; and if we do •, whe- 
 ther the Belief of it has it's proper Effe6l and Influ- 
 ence upon our Lives and Converfations. If not-, 
 we muft never give over thinking and meditating 
 thereupon, till it has gained this Effed upon our 
 Minds : fince otherwife, the mofl zealous Proifeffion 
 of any Part of Chrift^s Dodrine will" be of no Ufe 
 or Service to us ; For Faith ^without Works is dead, 
 Ja?n, ii. 20. And in Chrift Jefiis no Faith availeth 
 any Thing, but that which worketh by Love. Gal v. 6,- 
 And Love^ faith the Apoflle, is the fulfilling of the 
 Law. Rom. xiii. 10. And fo likewife, if any Pradti- 
 eal Point of Religion is difcourfed upon, any Chrif- 
 tian Virtue recommended to our Obfervation •, we 
 muft diligently examirie ourfelves, whether we are 
 endued with it ; and if not, we muft never give over 
 our Endeavours, till we have attained to it : or if 
 we are pofleiTed of that Qualification •, we muft, en- 
 quire whether we are not wanting in fome others 
 Vv'hich will equally deprive us of the Eove and Fa- 
 vour of God : fince whofoever fhall break one of the 
 leajl of His Cojmnand?7ients^ he Jhall be called the leaft in 
 the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. v. 19. Or if the 
 Preacher's Difcourfe be levelled againft any particu- 
 lar Kind of Sin and Wickednefs, we muft look into 
 our Hearts and fee whether we are guilty of that Vice ; 
 or if not •, of any other, which will as furely expofe 
 us to the Anger and Judgment of God. For the 
 IVrath cf Gcd is revealed from Heaven againft all Un- 
 godlimfs and Unrighteoifnejs of Men \ Rom, i. 18. And 
 
 I! 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 2 13 
 
 ■If my Man Jhall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in 
 -one Point he is guilty of all Jam. ii. 10. And when we 
 have thus found out the Corruption and Iniquity of 
 -our Manners, we muft continually watch over our- 
 feJves, 'till we have fubdued and reformed it. And 
 particularly we muft attack the ^in which does mofi 
 eaftly befet us, Hek xii. i. with the utmoft Vigour and 
 Refolution ; and in that Cafe efpecially,^^/^^;?//??^^^^ 
 Armour of God, that we may le Me to ftand againfi the 
 mles of the Devil Eph. vi. 1 1 . And to iay no more, 
 if the great Motives to a Religious Life be laid before 
 ^us, particularly thofe drawn from the Confideradon of 
 a Future Judgment, and the Everlafting Happinefs 
 and Miferjes of another World ; we muft carefully 
 examine ourfelves and fee, whether we do really be- 
 lieve this Dodirine. If not ; we muft with the utm.oft 
 Serioufnefs and Diligence weigh and confider the 
 Proofs and Evidences which both Natural and Re- 
 vealed Religion give us of a Future State ; 'xiW we 
 come to be throughly and firmly perfuaded of the 
 Truth of it. And if we do believe this great Article 
 of our Faith .; we muft enquire into the Sincerity and 
 Reality of this Belief, by feeing whether we live and 
 behave in fuch a Manner as thofe Perfons may in all 
 Reafon be expeded to do, who are poftefted with 
 this Perfuafion, viz. that as it is appointed unto all Men 
 once to die, fo after Death will come the Judgment. Heb. 
 ix. 27. And that when the Great Judge of the 
 World fhall appear, all that are in the Graves Jhall 
 hear His Voice and come forth -, they that have done Good 
 to the Refurre5iion of life ; and they that have done 
 Evil, to the RefurreBion of Damnation. John v. 28, 29. 
 And whether in Expedation of that Glorious Re- 
 >vard, which God hath promifed ; fuch as Eye hath not 
 feen, nor Ear heard, neither hath it ever e?2tered into the 
 Heart of Man to conceive -, i Cor. ii. 9. We become 
 indifferent and unconcerned for the Things of this 
 JVorld 5 and demean ourfelves here as Strangers and 
 
 P 3 Sojourners 
 
2 14 -^ Difcotirfe cojicernlng the 
 
 S(^ourners before the Lord, i Chron, xxix.' 15. "Who 
 becaufe we have here 720 co7ttmimg City^ do there- 
 fore feek one zvhich is to come, Heb. xiii. 14. And as 
 the necelTary Means of doing fo, do fet cur Affc5fions 
 on 'Things above, net en Things on the Earth. Col. iii. 2. 
 And have our Converfaiionin Heaven. Phil iii. 20, And 
 whether we are refolved upon this Account to obferve, 
 not only the eafy and delightful Precepts of Religion, 
 but alfo fuch as are moft uneafy and ungrateful to 
 Flefh and Blood •, to fight the good Fight., to finifh our 
 Courfe., and to keep the Faith •, becaufe there is laid up for 
 us a Crcuon of PJighteoufnefs, which the Lord the Righ- 
 teous Judge fhall give us at that Day. 2 Tiin. iv, 7, 8. 
 And fo on the other Side, we muit carefully examine 
 ourfelves, whether the Apprehenfion of thofe terrible 
 Punifhments which fhall be inflidled upon the Wicked, 
 when the Lord Jefus fhall be revealed froin Heaven with 
 His mighty Angels in Flaming Fire, taking Vengeance of 
 them that know not God, and that obey not the Gofpel of 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift : who fhall be punijhedwith Ever- 
 laftlng Beftru^ion from the Prefence of the Lord, and 
 from' the Glory of His Power. 2 Thejf. i. y, ^, 9. 
 And who fliall be caft into the Lake of Fire and Brim- 
 flone, where they fhall have no Refl; Day nor Night, hut 
 the Smoke of their Torment afcendeth up for ever and ever. 
 Rev. xxi. 8. chap. xiv. 11. I fay ; we muft 
 carefully examine ourfelves, whether the Apprehenfion 
 of this dreadful Mifery does conilantly deter us from 
 all Sin and Wickednefs ; and whether upon this Ac- 
 count we be infinitely lefs concerned to difpleafe the 
 Greateft among the Sons of Men, who have only Power 
 to kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can 
 do ', than to offend Him, who after He hath killed hath 
 Pcwer to caft both Soul and Body into Hell-fire. Luke xii. 
 
 This is die Ufe and Application which we 
 fhould make of the Dodrine ot a Future Judgment 
 and everlafling Retributions, when delivered to us 
 by the Minifters of the Gofpel j fince otherv/ife, 
 
 how 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 2 15 
 
 how much foever we may be miovcd and afTcdted 
 by it even tho* at the Hearing thercvof v/e fhould 
 fall into a Fit of 'Tremhlmg^ as Felipe did when St Paul 
 difcourfed to him upon that Subjecfl ; J5ls xxiv. 25. 
 it would not be of the lead Ufe and Service to us : 
 It being not fufficient to the Purpofes of Religion 
 barely to difcover the Truth of thefe Points, unleis 
 as a Learned Author -well exprefles (J) it, we do by fre- 
 quent Meditation " render them familiar to our Minds 
 " when discovered *, puriue them thro' all their proper 
 '' Confequences ; and fuffer them to have fuch an 
 '' Effedl upon our Condu6l and Behaviour, as they 
 " have a dired Tendency to produce." And in this 
 Manner we fhould well confider and obferve the View 
 and Defign of every Difcourfe we hear, and make 
 a due Application and Improvement of it. And 
 when we have received In(lru6lions from God's Word, 
 we mufl as a moft Excellent Writer obferves [e)^ " lay 
 " them up in our Memory -, and that not fo loofely 
 '' and carelefsly that they ihall prefently dropout again.; 
 '' but we miuft fo fallen them there by often thinking 
 " and meditating on them, that we may have them 
 '' ready for our Ufe." For as a Learned Author very 
 well remarks, (/) " No Man ever became a good 
 " Chriftian^ merely becaufe he c?tce knew \Avj he 
 ^' Ihould be fo \> but becaufe he often confidered it. 
 *' And it is by fuch Meditation that good Men grow 
 *' better ; and therefore they muft often converfe vvith 
 *' the fame Divine Truths." Otherwife the Gofpel is 
 preached to us abfolutely in vain, and we manifeft as 
 great a Contempt of Chrift (if not greater) in 
 TiOt duly confidering and obferving the Gracious 
 P 4 Words 
 
 f^') Dr C(7/?^j^(?^r(?'s Befenfe of Reveard Religion, chap, i p. lo. 
 
 (e) Whole Duty of Man, chap. ii. $. 23. 
 
 (f) Dr Clageifs Operations of the Holy Spirit. Part IT. chap, 
 "vii. §. 4. See aljo a moll Excellent PafTage to this Purpofeia j5r 
 ScQtii Cbrijiian Life Zvo, Vol, I. cb.^p, ;z>. Sea, 3. 
 
2 1 6 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Words delivered by Him, than if we had not heard 
 them at all. And indeed, to fay no more upon this 
 Head, if as a very Learned Prelate juftly obfervesf^), 
 ^' Men will go to Church merely for Form, and hear 
 '- Sermons only as fct Difcourfes, v/hich they will 
 *' cenfure or coirimiend as they think they fee Caufe ; 
 *' but are refolved never to be the Better for them ; 
 *' All the Preaching in the World fignifies nothing." 
 I would to God that v/ere the Worft of it, and that 
 Men did not by this Means entail upon themfelves a 
 very heavy Degree of Guilt •, by neglecling and 
 defpifing one of the Nobleft Inflitutions which the 
 Wifdom of God has contrived for the Salvation of 
 Mankind. And thus having fhewn the NecelTity of 
 this Duty of Meditating upon God's Word, whenfo- 
 ever we have heard it preached to us in His Holy 
 Church ; I proceed to confider the abfolute Necefiity of 
 a due and ferious Meditation upon the Chief and Prin- 
 cipal Points of Religion above-mentioned •, in order 
 to the leading fuch a truly Chriftian and Virtuous Life, 
 as will recommend us to the Love and Favour of 
 God. 
 
 And Firft^ Concerning a due Meditation upon the 
 Being of God, and His Divine Perfeftions. Now 
 this is abfolutely neceifary to be done upon ihele two 
 Accounts. Firft^ To guard us againft the dangerous 
 ImpreiTions of AtheiJ?n^ which entirely fubverts the 
 Ground and Foundation of all Religion. 
 
 And Secondly^ To preferve in our Minds fuch a 
 quick and lively Senfe of thefe Great Truths, as may 
 conftantly prevail upon us to the Practice of Piety and 
 Virtue. And, 
 
 Firft^ A due Meditation upon the Being of God 
 and His Divine Perfedions, is abfolutely neceifary to 
 guafd us againft the Dangerous Impreffions o{ Atheifm, 
 
 This 
 
 (g) Burnst in the Preface to his Hillcry of th: Reformation^ 
 
 %V0. p. !0a 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 2 17 
 
 This one would think jfhould be a very needlefs Ob- 
 fervation ; fince the Exiftence and Perfe6tions of God 
 are Notions which are naturally ingrafted in the Minds 
 of all Men, as fome conceive ; or if not •, the Proofs 
 and Evidences of thefe Great Truths are fo very clear 
 and eafy, that we cannot imagine how any one fhould 
 entertain the leaft Doubt and Sufpicion of them. But yet 
 if we confider with what Zeal and Diligence many 
 Perfons of conliderable Parts and Learning both ancient 
 and modern, have propagated their pernicious Schemes 
 of Atheifm and Infidelity, which are ftillread and flu- 
 died by great Numbers with Delight and Pleafure ; 
 and that there are too many Men ftill in the World, who 
 go into the fame Meafures thro' the Vanity and Affeda- 
 tion of Wit, and are continually breaking their bold and 
 impious Jefts upon God and Religion, to the Apparent 
 Mifchief and Corruption of all they converfe with (h). 
 Nay, if we confider further that not only the Atheifts 
 themfelves boafl of their Numbers ; but alfo that 
 many of the moft Learned Advocates and Defenders 
 of Religion do heavily complain, that " Abeifm^ind 
 *' /;;?/)?>/); are daily gaining Ground, not only among 
 *' us, but indeed all Europe (i) over." T fay if we 
 duly refle6l upon all this, we muft needs be fully con- 
 vinced, that it is a Matter of the utmoft Confequence to 
 every Cbriftian, to be well fortified and guarded againfb 
 fuch dangerous Imprefiions. Or if we fhould fuppofe 
 that there are not fo many Atheifts in the World upon 
 fixed and fettled Principles as fome thinlv^ but that 
 Learned Men have complained more upon this Head 
 than there is jufl Occafion for \ (v/hich for my Part 1 
 
 own 
 
 (h) yii. Scott'iQhx\?tizn Life. Vol. IT. 8vo, chap. iii. §. 5. 
 p. 99, &c, 
 
 ■ (i) Bifhop Burnet in the Preface to his Paftoral Care, p. i 9 . 
 See alfo l^icholli'^ Conference, Part I. in Pref. Dr WaterlarJ''^ 
 fecond Charge to the Clergy, p. 2, <^c. TUlotjon Vol. III. p. 464, 
 ^co(i% Chnfiian Life, U'Q,Ko/, II, -^.10% iij. 
 
2i8 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 own I am in great Meafure ready to {k) believe) yet 
 what a very pious and excellent Author lays down 
 upon this Point is certainly true and to be depended 
 upon, znz. that " the Generality of Men who are 
 *' ever intent on Bufinefs or Pleafure, and little ufed 
 "" to fix or open the Eye of their Mind ; have not 
 *' all that Convi(5i:ion and Evidence of the Being of 
 ** God, v/hich might be expeded in Reafonable 
 *' Creatures. And that it is to be feared that too 
 *' many of Parts and Leifure who live in Chriftian 
 " Countries, are merely thro' a fupine and dreadful 
 " Negligence funk into a Sort of Demi- Jtheiffn : They 
 * ' cannot fay there is not a God, but neither are they con- 
 *' vinced that there (7) is." Now fmce fuch a Doubtful- 
 nefs and Irrefolution in the Belief of thefe great Truths 
 muft need be very fatal and (?n) deftrudive to Religion, 
 
 as 
 
 {-k) Health chiefly keeps an Jltheift in the dark ; 
 A Fever argues better than a Clerk ; 
 Let but the Logic in his Pulfe decay. 
 The Grecian he'll renounce, and learn to pray ; 
 
 While C mourns with an unfeigned Zeal 
 
 Th' Apoftate Youth, wko reafon'd once fo well. 
 
 C who makes fo merry with the Creed, 
 
 He almoft thinks he disbelieves indeed ; 
 But only thinks fo ; to give both their due, 
 Satan^ and he. Believe and Tremble too. 
 
 Love of Fame, Sec. Sat* iv> p. 66. 6^, 
 
 ^um maxime "Deus ex Memoria hominum elabitufi cum Berieficiis 
 fruentes Honor em dare Divina Indulgentia deberent ; at verofiquA 
 Nec-eJJitas gravis prejjerit^ tum Deum recordafitur. Sec. Lad. Inflit. 
 lib, ii. cap. i. 
 
 Many Inilances might be given of this, from the Hiftories of all 
 /.ges ; 'but I -Ihall at prefent only mention thofe of Metrodorus^ 
 Caligtda, ^ndBion Boryjihenites ; Of all which Perfons it^ was ob- 
 ferved that they were remarkable for their Impiety and Contempt 
 of God, ar.d yet in Times of Sicknefs and Danger, the moft fenfibly 
 afraid of Him. fid. Cic, de Nat. Deorum lib. i. Sueton. in Caiig, 
 cap. Ii. Diog. Laert. in Fit, Bionis juxtafinem, 
 
 (/) Eifhop Berkeleys Principles of Human Knowledge §. i 54, 155, 
 
 {m) Seem Excellent PafTage to ihis purpofe in Til/otfcu Vol. IIL 
 p. 462. 
 
Religious Obfervation o/" /^^ Lord's Day. 219 
 
 as well as fixed and fetded Adieifm •, it muft certainly 
 be highly beneficial and advantageous to all Men to be 
 freed from thefe Doubts, and to have a lively and effec- 
 tual Senfe of God and His Perfections conftandy 
 imprinted upon their Minds. But this cannot other- 
 wife be gained than by a frequent and ferious 
 Meditation upon thefe great Truths, and confider- 
 ing the Proofs and Evidences of them. Thofe there- 
 fore who would live under a conflant and prevailing 
 Senfe of God and His Perfedions, mufl often em- 
 ploy themfelves in this Exercife. And becaufe the 
 Generality of Men have not fafHcient Parts and A- 
 bilities of themfelves to difcover thefe great Truths 
 fat leafl not fo compleatly and perfedly as is ne- 
 ceffary to give them their full Force and Influence 
 upon their Affedions) therefore they fhould be 
 careful to afTifl their Meditations by reading the 
 Holy Scriptures, in which the Being and Attributes 
 of God are largely difcovered and beautifully dif- 
 played to us ; and alfo by reading fome of the beft 
 Books that have been written upon that Subjed*. fmce, 
 as an eminent Author well remarks (;/), " He that 
 " wants the proper Materials of Thought, may 
 " think and meditate for ever to no Purpofe." And 
 I believe all Perfons will readily own, that any Man 
 (efpecially one of common Education) will have quite 
 diderent Notions and Sendments of God and His 
 Perfedions ; by carefully reading the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, and by attending to thofe noble Difcoveries 
 which have been made upon thofe Points by fjch Men 
 as Ctidworthy Stillingfleet^ Tillotfon^ Boyle^ Bentley^ Ray^ 
 Clarke^ Derham^ Gurdon, Woolafton^ &c. than he 
 could ever polTibly have attained to by the bare unaf- 
 fifted Thoughts and Reafonings of his own Mind. It 
 is therefore incumbent upon all Men in their Medita- 
 tions upon this Subjed -, to afTiil their Meditations by 
 
 reading 
 
 (») Minute Pliilofopher, Vol. I. p. 35. 
 
2.20 A Dlfcotirfe concerning the 
 
 reading the Holy Scriptures, and other good Books 
 which are written thereupon. And what I here ob- 
 ferve of this Particular, I would be under flood to 
 extend to all the other Points of Divine Meditation 
 -mentioned in this Treatife, viz. that Men fhould not 
 only think and contemplate upon thefe Things of 
 themfelves, but fhould alfo enlarge and improve their 
 Thoughts by reading the Scriptures, and the bell 
 Books which are publifhed on thofe Subjedls, ac- 
 cording to their feveral Capacities and Oppor- 
 tunities. 
 
 Now the Proofs and Evidences of the Being and 
 Attributes of God are of two Sorts. Firft^ Such as 
 arc purely Intelledual and MetaphyficaL And 6"^-- 
 €ondly^ Such as arife from a Contemplation of the vi- 
 fible Works of Nature. As to the Firft^ Thofe who 
 are able to go thro' the Depths of Metaphyfical En- 
 quiries, will find the Being and Attributes of God 
 clearly and fully proved this Way, by feveral of our 
 learned Writers -, and particularly by Dr Samuel 
 Clarke in the firll Part of his Boyle's Ledures, in 
 which they are {lri6lly demonilrated. And what 
 Mr Gurdon and Mr JVoolafton have fince offered 
 upon that Subjed, is admirable and excellent, and 
 highly worthy of any one's Reading. If any Man 
 will lludy thefe Books with due Care and Attention, 
 it will be impoflible for him to entertain any Doubts 
 concerning the Being of God and His Perfedlions ; 
 unlefs his Judgment is byafled and corrupted by- 
 vicious Affedions; and then all the Evidence in 
 t]\t World would not prevail with him. But be- 
 caufe there are but very few Perfons (at leafl of 
 thofe into whofe Hands this Difcourfe is likely to 
 fall^ who are able to ati:ain to fuch Metaphyfical Dif= 
 coveries, therefore I ftiall pafs them by, and proceed 
 to the 
 
 Seco7id Way^ By which the Being and Attributes of 
 God may be prisved and made known to us. And 
 
 that 
 
Religious Obfervation of Z/?^ Lord's Day. 221 
 
 that is, by a Contemplation of the Vifible Works of 
 Nature. Now there are fuch plain and evident 
 Marks of Wifdom, Power, and Goodnefs, to be {ttn 
 m all Parts of the vifible Creation, that a Man of 
 ordinary Capacity who will duly and carefully attend 
 to them, may eafily difcern that this World did not 
 exift of itfelf, nor was made by Chance 5 but that it 
 is the Produ6b of an Intelligent Being of Infinite Per- 
 fedfion. For as the Pfahnift v/ell obferves, xlx i. 
 ne Heavens declare the Glory of God^ and the Firma- 
 ment jheweth His Handy-work, And fays the Apoftle, 
 'The InvifMe Things of Him from the Creation of ths 
 World are clearly feen^ being underftood by the Things 
 that are made^ even His Eternal Power and Godhead. 
 Rom, i. 20. It is therefore a Matter of great Ne- 
 celTity and Advantage, in order to confirm us the more 
 ftedfaftly in the Acknowledgment of the Being and 
 Perfe6lions of God ; frequendy to fludy and contem- 
 plate upon the Works of Nature. And fuch Perfons 
 who are not able to procure Books written upon that 
 Subjed, or have not fufHcient Capacity to read them ; 
 muft be fo much the more diligent in employing their 
 Minds upon thefe Points, and improving their Thoughts 
 by the reading of the Holy Scriptures, But as for others 
 of greater Ability and Apprehenfion ; it will be 
 of the utmoft Service to them in this Enquiry, to 
 perufe fome of the many Excellent Treatifes upon this 
 Subje6l, which are publifhed among us. For the Be- 
 ing and Attributes of God have not only been fjfficient- 
 ly proved by the Authors of thofe Books, but diey 
 have moreover made fo many Noble Difcoveries to 
 this Purpofe fi-om Natural Philofophy, Anatomy and 
 Aftronomy •, that by this Means Men will not only be 
 freed from the lead Doubt concerning thefe NecelTIiry 
 and Important Truths, but they will alfo make a 
 much deeper ImprefTion upon them, and enter into 
 their Minds with the ftrongefh Convidion. And 
 whofoever will be careful and dihgent in the Study of 
 
 thcic 
 
222 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 thefe Books, will foon be made fenfibJe, not only 
 that the World is an Effedl of an Intelligent and Wile 
 Being ; but alfo that there is a mod exad Harmony 
 and Correfpondence between the feveral Parts of it ; 
 and that all the Works of Nature are made with Par- 
 ticular Views and Befigns^ and contrived and adapted 
 to thofe Defigns, with the moil furprizing Beauty and 
 Perfection. I lliall not at prefent give any Inftances 
 of this Matter. They who v/ill carefully perufe fome 
 of the Many Excellent Treatifes which are written 
 upon that {o) Subjedl will foon be convinced of it ; and 
 will hereby have fuch a ftrong and lively Idea of God's 
 Wifdom, Power, and Gcodnefs, imprinted upon their 
 Minds, as nothing will be ever able to efface and 
 obliterate. This is an Argument of the Strength of 
 which, Atheifhic Writers have been ever fenfible ; and 
 they could find no other Way to evade the Force of 
 it, but by confidently afferting that there are no fuch 
 Things as Final Caufes \ nor any Thing in Nature that 
 was made for Particular Ends and Defigns ; but that 
 all Things happened by Chance^ or exifted of tlmn- 
 felves^ in the Manner we now obferve them ; and that 
 their feveral and refpedlive Ufes were afterwards found 
 out and difcovered. This was the Opinion of the 
 Epicureans (p) (which they borrowed from the Old 
 Atheijlic Philofophers {q).) And in Confequence of 
 
 diis 
 
 {o) There are fo many excellent Books publiihed upon this Sub- 
 jeft in cur own Language, that it will be no great Difficulty for 
 any one to make a good Choice j yet I humbly conceive that thefe 
 following are the mofl lit and proper for general Ufe, z>iz. Boyie 
 of Final CanfeSy Ray V Wifdoin of God in the Creation, and Der- 
 hams Phy/ico and JJiro-T^hcology. 
 
 ^p) 7v77 ideo na'um ejl in Corpore, ut uti 
 
 PoJ/emu^y fed quod natum ejh id frocreai ufum. 
 
 Lucret. lib, iv, 
 
 (q) Vid. Cudzvorth\li\iz\hd.m\Sy^zm^ p. 670, 671, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 223 
 this, they exprefsly aflert, that the Eyes were not made 
 to fee with, nor the Tongue to fpeak with, nor the 
 Feet to walk with, ^c. (r). And herein they are fol- 
 lowed by Spinoza the moft Learned of all our Modern 
 Atbeifts, who in dired Words affirms the fame (5), Bat 
 now that this Suppofition is infinitely abfurd and ridicu- 
 lous, every Man of common Senfe muft readily allow : 
 and indeed that there are not only fuch Things as Final 
 Caufes in Nature, but that all Parts of the Creation are 
 contrived and adapted to their Refpedive Ufes and 
 Defigns, with the mod aftonifhing and furprizing 
 Beauty, and thereby give us a clear Proof and Evi- 
 dence of the Being of God, and His Divine Perfecr 
 tions ; hath been fully demonilrated by feveral of our 
 Learned Writers, particularly by Cudworth^ Boyle, 
 Bentley, Ray, and Derham, to the everlafting Shame 
 and Confufion of all Atheifts. And this is the firfi 
 Benefit and Advantage which Men receive from a 
 ferious and diligent Meditation upon the Beino- and 
 Perfe6lions of God, viz. that they are hei-eby ef- 
 fe6lually guarded and fecured againfc the dangerous and 
 deftruclive Impreffions of Atheifm and Infidelity. 
 
 The fecond Ufe and Defign of fuch Meditation, is 
 to preferve in the Minds of Men, fuch a quick and 
 
 lively 
 
 {r) Nee fuit ante, videre, Oculorum Itimina na-a. 
 Nee diSlis or are y prius^ quam Lingua creata eji-^ 
 Sed potius longe Lingua pr&cejjtt origo 
 Sermonem, mu I toque creata funt trius aures 
 ^a?n /onus eji Audltus ; (^ omnia deni^ue Msmhra, 
 Ante fuere, ut opiror, eorum quam fuit ufus 
 Haud igitur potuere Utendi crejcere caufd. 
 
 Lucret. ibid. 
 
 (s) Thus in the Appendix to his Thirty Sixth Propofitlon of 
 his Ethics, Part I, he lays it down as a Maxim, vix.Nat'uramfinem 
 nullum fibi prafixum habere ; & omnes can/as Finales, nihil nik 
 humana ejfe Figmenta. And then he proceeds to laugh at thofe 
 who were fo childifh, as to imagine that Eyes were made to fes 
 with; the Teeth for chewing ; Food for Nourifhment; the Sun to 
 ihine, crv. QculQi &d mdendum, De'4e> ad Majliiandumi Scq. 
 
224 A'Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 lively Senfe of thefe Great Truths, as may conftantly 
 prevail upon them to the Practice of Piety and Vir- 
 tue. If we confider the Nature of God and His Di- 
 vine Perfe6lions, particularly His Infinite Power and 
 Goodnefs to the Sons of Men ; one would be apt to 
 think that there lliould be a certain and infallible Con- 
 ne(5lion between the Belief of thofe Perfedlions, and the 
 Pra6lice of Piety and Virtue. But if we look abroad 
 into the World, we. Ihall find the Cafe to be quite 
 otherwife •, and that there are many Perfons who 
 really acknowledge the Being and Attributes of God, 
 and earneftly difpute and contend for the Certainty 
 thereof-, and yet are extremely carelefs and negligent 
 of their Duty and Behaviour to Him. And the 
 Reafon of this is very plain, v\z. becaufe tho' they 
 do really believe in God and His Perfedlions, yet 
 their Belief is only fpeculative, and they do not at- 
 tend to the proper Confequences of it ; neither do 
 ■:hey fo ferioully and frequently meditate upon thefe 
 Points, as to let them have their due Force and Influ- 
 ence upon their Minds fc). And therefore it is no Won- 
 der at all, that their Faith iliould be barren and un- 
 fruitful •, fmce the Truths of Religion do not operate 
 upon die Mind Mechanically^ but Morally^ i. e. Men 
 do not become Religious by barely believing that 
 fuch and fuch Dodrines of Religion are true, but by 
 being made duly fenfible of the Weight and Impor- 
 tance of them. But this is what they can never be ; 
 unlefs they will allow themfelves Time, ferioufly and 
 throughly to refledl upon them. For as a great 
 Writer (d) well obferves, " A Man is never entirely 
 " reformed, till aNew Principle governs his Thoughts 
 *' and nothing makes that Principle fo ftrong, as 
 " deep and frequent Meditations of God. • — And 
 
 " he 
 
 (c) Vid, Dr Mar/haWs Serm^n^ Vol. T. p. 453 to 456. 
 
 \d) Bifhop Burnef^ Life ^ the Lgrd Koihcjier p, 53, Edit. 6, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 22 1 
 
 " he that thinks often of God, and eonfiders Him 
 *' as governing the World, and as ever obferving 
 " all his Actions •, will feel a very fenfible Effe6l of 
 *' fuch Meditations, as they grow more lively and 
 
 " frequent with him. And the frequent Re- 
 
 " turns of thefe are neceffary ; left if we allow of 
 " too long Intervals between them, thefe Impreffi- 
 " ons may grow feeble, and other Suggeftions may 
 " come in their Room." And for this Reafon no 
 Doubt it is, that the Holy Scriptures are continually 
 reprefenting to our Minds the Wifdom, Power, Juf- 
 tice, and Goodnefs of God •, and particularly (which 
 is neceffary to give all other Perfedions their due 
 Force) his Omniprefence and Omnifcience ; as, ^bat 
 He looketh to the Ends of 'the Earth, and feeth under the 
 whole Heaven. Job. xxviii. 24. 'That the Eyes of the 
 Lord are in every Place, beholding the Evil and the Good, 
 Prov, XV. 3. That he knoweth ■ our Bownfitting and 
 cur Uprifing, land under ft andeth our Thoughts afar off. PfaL 
 cxxxix. 2. 1 That all Things are naked and open to the 
 Eyes of Him with whojn we have to do. Heb. iv. 13. 
 And tlM were is nothing covered that fhall not be re- 
 vealed-, and hid that Jh all not be knozon. Matt, x. 26. 
 That J Senfe of thefe Perfections may engage us to 
 fet the Lord always before us. Pfal. xvi, 8. d^nd to be 
 perfet in every good Work, to do His Will, working 
 that Mch is well pie afi?ig in his Sight, Heb. xiii. 21. 
 Anc the like we find done by the Heathen Philofo- 
 phes. They are frequently putting us in Mind that 
 Go is infinitely Wife, Holy, Juft, and Good, and 
 paacularly that he is every where preient, and 
 koweth ail Things {e) •, that in Virtue of thefe great 
 Q^ Attributes 
 
 (e) Homines exillimare oportere Deos omnia cernere, Deorum 
 mnia effe plena. Cic. de Legib. lib. i'l. Ubique & omnibus prseftd 
 ;ft IDeus). ^?n, Bpifi, 95, QuocuiKiue te'flexeris, ibi ilium vide- 
 
 biji 
 
226 A Difcourfe cojicerning the 
 
 Attributes, we might be prevailed upon to obey and 
 imitate Him, in the conftant Pradlice of Religion and 
 Virtue. If then we really- defire to lead the truly Chri- 
 jlian Li?'e, and to attain to that Ptrfcdtion of Piety 
 and Goodnefs which God requires of us ; it will not 
 be fuiiicient to this Purpcfe, that we really believe 
 there is a God, and that He is endued with all pcffible 
 Perfedtions •, urdefs we do fo frequently and ferioufly 
 think and contemplate upon thefe Perfedlions *, that 
 they have gained their due Effedl and Influence upon 
 our Minds, and we live under a Conftant and Habi- 
 tual Senfe of them. The Devils believe and tremble 
 as the Apoftle obferves. Jam. ii. 19. and many 
 Men who do not deny the Being and Attributes of 
 God, do yet continually abound in all Manner of Im- 
 piety and Wickednefs. And the Reafon of this is 
 very plain, becaufe tho' they do really believe thefe 
 Truths, yet they never duly attend to the proper Con- 
 fequences of that Belief *, nor confider ferioufly with 
 themfelves, that fince there is a God infinitel}^ Wife, 
 Knowing, Juft, and Holy, ivho will bring every Work 
 into Judgment with every Secret "Thing., whether ii be goody 
 or whether it be evil. Eccl. xii. 14. and will thisn render 
 to every Man according to his Deeds ; Rom. ii. k What 
 Manner of Ferfons they ought to be in all Holy Omverja- 
 tion and Godlinefs. 2 Pet. iii. 11. And thus\rnuch 
 concerning the Neceffity of frequent and ferioi\ Me- 
 ditation upon the Being and P.^fedlions of Goc; in 
 order to fecure us agamft the Dangerous ImprefTio^ of 
 Atheifm, and to confirm us in the ftedfafl and habual 
 
 Praiicc 
 
 bis occurrcntem tibi, Nil ab illo vacat, opus fuum ipreimplet. /V, 
 de Ber.'.f. lib iv. cap. viii. ^ ^ \ 
 
 ^i^m <f[au(j(^>v oa. >^ tU Thoif yjei^i (psfjofy cU tj /Sastwi^P 
 Tc/ftTg ; -Ariian in Enidet. lib. i. c;.p. xiv. ^ ^ ,' 
 
 Simpiicius in Epidtet, cap. xxxviii, pa^, 216. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day, 227 
 
 Pradice of Chnfiian Virtue. Before I proceed to the 
 nexc Particular, it will be very proper to take Notice 
 of one Thing, which mud never be forgot, when we 
 are contemplating upon the Infinite Perfe6lions of 
 God, and particularly upon His Wifdom, Power, and 
 Goodnefs manifefted in the Works of the Creation, 
 ('and indeed it is a NecefTary Part of the Bufmcfs (/) 
 of the Sabbath Day, and one main End and Defign for 
 which it was firft (g ) inftituted) and that is the Duty 
 of returning Praife and Thankfgiving both publickly 
 and privately to God ; who by Wifdofn hath founded the 
 Earth, and by Under/landing hath eftablijhed the Heavens, 
 Prov, iii. 19. When v/e confider the Works of God, 
 and furvey the Exquifite Beauty and Magnificence 
 which fhines forth in every Part of the vifible Crea- 
 tion, and call to mind how Good the Lord is to all Men, 
 and that He giveth us richly all 'Things to enjoy \ i Tim, 
 vi. 17. we Ihould raifeup our Hearts to the higheft 
 Strains of Gratitude and Devotion ; and Jhould cry 
 out ' with the P/almifl, O Lord how fnanifold are Thy 
 Works ! in JVifdom haft Thou made them all. The Earth 
 is full of Thy Riches, &c. Pfahn civ. 24. And we fhould 
 never contemplate upon any of the wonderful Works 
 of Nature, but our Affedlions fliould inim.ediately 
 kindle in us, and we fnould take Occafion from them 
 to afcribe due Praife and Glory to God, the Great 
 Author of" them •, as we find the Pfahnift does at large 
 in the cxlviii Pfalni, And we fhould fay w^ith him 
 
 0^2 in 
 
 (f) It may be for ought I know, (and as fome Divines have 
 thought) Part of our Bufinefs and Empbyment in Eternity to con- 
 temp'ate the Works of God, and give Him the Glory of His 
 Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs manifefted in the Creation of them. 
 I am fure it is Part of the Bufinefs of a Sr^bhath Day ; and the 
 Sabbath is a Type of that Eternal Reft. For the Sabbath feems 
 to have been firft inftituted, for a Commemoration of the Works of 
 the Creation; from which God is faid to have refted upon the 
 feventh Day. Raf s Wifdom of God in the Creation^ Part I, p. 170, 
 Edit. 9. 
 
 (g) Ses chap, i, of this Treatife in the Beginning, 
 
228 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 inver. 13. Lei them praife the ISlame of the Lord: for 
 His Name alone is Excellent, and His Glory ahcve the Earth 
 and Heaven, And thus an Eminent Poet of our own 
 Nation, in a moll Ravifliing Strain of Poefy, (as a 
 great (h) Critic juftly ftyles it) introduces Adam under 
 the Joyful Surprize of his firft Exiflence, calling upon 
 the more early Natures v/ith which he was encom- 
 pafled ; to inform him of his Original, and to dirtft 
 his Gradtude and Worfhip. And what he here puts 
 into the Mouth of our firft Progenitor, ought 10 be 
 the conftant Language and Sentiment of ourfelvcs and 
 all Mankind *, whenfoever we are taking a View of 
 the Glories of the Creation. 
 
 ^hou San fair Light, 
 
 And thou enlighten' d Earth, fofrefh and gay ; 
 Te Hills and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods and Plains ; 
 And ye that live and move, fair Creatures, tell, 
 ^ell, if yefaw, how came I thus, how here ? 
 Not of myfelf', hy fome great Maker then. 
 In Goodnefs a7td in Povfr Pre-eminent : 
 ^ell me, how may I know Him, how adore ; 
 FrG7n whom I have that thus I tnove and live^ 
 And feel that I am happier than I know, 
 ' ' Milton's Paradife Loft, Book viii. 
 
 But, Secondly : Another Principal Point of Religion 
 upon which it is abfolutely neceflary for us frequently 
 to think and meditate, in Order to the truly C^ri/?k'2 
 Life and Converfation •, is that concerning the Wif- 
 dom and Goodnefs of Divine Providence. Now a 
 due Meditation upon the Wifdom and Goodnefs of 
 God's Providence is neceflary to confirm us in the 
 Belief thereof -, upon which, our Prefent Comforts in 
 
 Life, 
 
 (/^j Dr Bafi/ Kennet\ Introdudlion to Vuffendorf. p. ^. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 229' 
 
 Life, and our Future Hopes in Death entirely depend 
 And then ^t^W/y, It is likewife necelTary to furnifh 
 us with Patience and SubmifTion to the Will of God 
 under the Calamities and Affli6lions of this Life ; to 
 which all Men are in a greater or lefs Degree expofed. 
 And Firfl^ A due Meditation upon the Wifdom and 
 Goodnefs of God's Providence is necefiary to confirm 
 us in the Belief thereof ♦, upon which our Prefent 
 Comfort in Life, and our Future Hopes in Death, en- 
 tirely depend. That the Comfort of Man's Life 
 relies wholly upon the Providence of God, is fuch a clear 
 and certain Truth \ that none but the moft hardned 
 Infidels can pofTibly deny it. For Man of himfdf is 
 abfolutely infufficient for his own Happinefs. He is, 
 as a great Writer admirably (z) exprefles it, " liable 
 " to many Evils and Miferies which he can neither 
 '" prevent norredrefs : He is fall of Wants which he 
 ** cannot fupply, and compafled about with Infirmities 
 *' which he cannot remove, and obnoxious to Dangers 
 *' which he can never fufEciently provide againfl : fje 
 *' is fecure of nothing that he enjoys in this World, 
 *' and uncertain of every thing that he hopes for : 
 '' He is apt to grieve for what he cannot help, 
 *' and eagerly to defire what he is never likely to obtain." 
 In which miferable and forlorn Condition it is impof^ 
 fible for him in any Meafure to fupport himfelf, with- . 
 out the Providence of God watching over him.. For 
 without this, he cannot know what is good for bi?n in this 
 Life, EccL vi. 12. but mull continually walk in a 
 vain Shadow^ and dijqmet himfelf in vain. PfaL xxxix. 6. 
 Nay and fo far would Life it felf be from being a 
 BlefTing in thefe Circumftances (k) -, that k would only 
 be the Foundation of perpetual Mifery and Trouble. 
 And then, that all our Hopes of Happinefs after Death, 
 ^ 0^3 depend 
 
 (/) Ti Hot fin. Vol. r. p. 22. 
 
 Ti {/.oi ^^\v h K0(r^6) KiV^ 0iwy, ;j m^vois^i Kiv^ » Marc. Anton, 
 ds Seipfo, lib, ii, §. 8. * 
 
230 A Difcourfe concerning tht 
 
 depend upon the Truth of God's Providence is very 
 clear and certain ; fince Providence and a Future State 
 do necefifarily/^^/^Jor/^// together. And if God does 
 not govern the World at prefent, and obferve and re- 
 gard the Actions of Men \ it is impolTible that He 
 fhould judge them hereafter, and reward Men for 
 them. And therefore we find that the Epicureans and 
 all other Infidels after them, who have denied a Pro- 
 vidence, have conilantly denied a Future State. Now 
 it being one Main and Principal Part of our Duty to 
 God, to iriifi; in Him with all our Hearty and at all Times ^ 
 Prov. in. 5. PfaL Ixii. 8. to be careful for Nothing, 
 Phil, iv 6. but to caft all our Care upon Him., who careth 
 for us, I Pet. V. 7. to acquiefce in all the Difpenfations 
 of His Providence, to think that always the beft for 
 us which happens, and to fay in all Cafes with the 
 Difciples concerning St Paul., A5ls. xxi. 14. the Will of 
 the Lord he done ; it will be impolTible for us ever to 
 bring our felves to this fubmilTive Temper and Difpo- 
 fition -5 unlefs we are iledfaflly confirmed in the Belief 
 of a Wife and Good Providence over the World by 
 frequent and ferious Meditation. And the Realbn of 
 it is very plain •, becaufe there are fcarcely to be found 
 in any one Point of Religion, Greater Difficulties and 
 Things miore unaccountable to our Reafon than in this 
 Article of Divine Providence. The Government of 
 God over Mankind, both with refped; to public So- 
 cieties and private Perfons •, is in many Particulars 
 riothing tK^ but Myflery and Wonder. And the Hiftory 
 of the Fall of our firft Parents ; the Extreme and 
 Univerfil Corruption which enfued ; the Redemption 
 of Mankind which v^as grounded upon the Fall ; 
 the4nany Ages which paiTed before the promifed Mef- 
 liah came ; and the many Nations which are ftill left 
 in Pagan Darknefs fmce His Coming ; are Matters, 
 which ftho' there is fafficient to be fiid upon every 
 one of them, to filence the Cavils and Objedions of 
 
 Infidels 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 231 
 
 Infidels) (/) mud be allowed to carry great Difficulty in 
 thtm ; and fuch as the moil Learned Men will per- 
 haps never be able fully to clear up and explain in this 
 World. And particularly, the great Impiety and 
 "Wlckednefs of the Generality of Chriflians under the 
 AfTiftance of an Infinite and All-Powerful Spirit f;;? J ; 
 the Innumerable Evils and Afflidlions of this prefent 
 (n) Life ; and above all, the Extreme Sufferings of 
 the belt and mod righteous Men in this World, and 
 that oftentimes for the fake of their Piety and Virtue ; 
 whilft many of the mod profligate and abandoned 
 Sinners have flourifhed and abounded in all Man- 
 ner of Worldly Happinefs and Profperity {0) \ 
 
 0^4 are 
 
 (I) See Dr Cofigy bearers and Mr Browti's Anfwers to Chriftinnity 
 as old as the Creation^ in which all that Author's Objedions againft 
 Revelation under thefe Heads are fully anfweied and confuted And 
 as to the main Objedion of that Author concerning the Chriltian 
 Kevelation not being in fad univerfal, fee particularly Dr Clarke^ 
 Sermons at Boyle's Le6lures, Part. II, Prop. 7. ^ 4- Gurdons 
 Sermons at Boyle's Leftures p. 412, &c. Dr Coney bearers Defenfey 
 chap. viii. Sherlock on Providence^ chap iv. p. 133. 410. 
 {m) Vid. fillotfon. Vol. II. pag. 469, ^c. 
 [n] See this Matter v^^ell defcribed by Mr Woolajlon in Religion 
 cf Nat" re de Hneated^ p . 201, i^c, 
 
 (0) Nee hie tempora nojlra querimur^ ut folent irfxUces^ at/t/te- 
 culum hodiernum pr^ aliis Ferreum dicimus : Antiquum obtinet Mun^ 
 dus. Con/ule omnium temporum, omnium gent iLrn Fajlos^ RomanoSy 
 Gr^ecoSf quofcunque veils : ubiqu$ reperies Socratas i<^ Catones, viros 
 eximios^ moribus nnimique dotibus ^ indole fingulares^ iniqud forte 
 opprejfoi. Hos odit vulgus prophanum & objlre^erum . Calum?iiis 
 infeSiantur invidi : Nee facile fatiuntur liber ale ingeiium^ virtu- 
 tis & veritatis tenax, return fotentes tf Tyrarwi. Hie rerum 
 mjlrarum jiatiis. Bui^net de Statu Mortuorum & Refurgentium, 
 cap. ii. pag. 4. 
 
 Dies deficiat, fi velim numerare quibus bonis male evenerii ; mc 
 minus J fi commimorem^ quious improbis optime^ Cic. de Nat. Deor. 
 lib. iii. 
 
 Of this we find the Pfalmiji complaining heavily i^i the feventy 
 third ?/tf/w. And though this Diftribution of Providence is a ve- 
 ry Ihong Argument ironri Natural Reafon for a Future State {f^id, 
 Woolajlony pag. 204.) : yet we finii it hath too often gi\enocca- 
 fion to Men to call ia queftion the Truth of God's Providence. 
 ^ El 
 
232 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 are Things which have raifed great Doubts and 
 Sufpicions in the Minds of Men, and have made 
 them entertain hard Thoughts of God and His 
 Good Providence. And indeed " The Management 
 *' of Providence (m the Government of the Mo- 
 *' ral World J is, as a Learned Writer tmly obferves, 
 *' fuch as requires much Thought and Obfervation 
 *' to clear up Difficulties ; and to fhew that, upon 
 " the ¥/hole, it is really better to a6l virtuoufly in 
 " every Inftance, than otherv/ife C/?)." And fince 
 many Important Adlions of God's Providence in the 
 Government of Mankind in this Life, do plainly 
 refer to and are manifeftly grounded upon His Dillri- 
 bucions in the next ; it is therefore unavoidable, that 
 there muft be fuch Difficulties, as we can give no Ac- 
 count of, without another Life, as Dean Sherlock well 
 obferves {q). And indeed as a very Learned Perfon 
 well exprelTes it, " The Governing of Moral A- 
 '^ gents in a Way fuitable to their Liberty, and to 
 " God's unfpotted Holinefs,Wifdom andPurity : is one 
 *' of the fineft and moit Myfterious Parts of the Divine 
 *' Condudl, and will be the Admiradon both of 
 *' Men and Angels to all Eternity (rj." Since then, 
 there are fuch Difficuldes in God's Government of the 
 
 World, 
 
 ?^ayQ- dLurd £fS(pMi/g{/, afct^d i^ S'vVctixtv '^X^^l^ "^ clK^/I^T^y 
 Xj yveociv r Ti^c-toTcirluj' ^ (j)^toi clyd-pcoTiVeov >tct]eL(pp9V&tv9 
 
 T^To c/l' rza.yi<Ti Tii'^ST ''6©- U7?& 'f JhnisfTn? (WToti <r/f dv^icjivcov 
 
 im dvvXt'^ "is-d^ovjeti, /xHc/^g/z/cT? Ito^H?, cJ^ vol^i(^f>Ttv, iH"' 
 J'lKiic-iCi)^, &c, Simplicius in Epidlet. cap. xxxviii. pag. 212, 
 rid loc, 
 
 (p) Dr C!>neyheare's'D(tkYik, chap. vlii. p. 384. 
 
 (q) Difcourfe on Divine Providence, chap, iv. p. 119, ^to, Se$ 
 filfo, Sherlock on Death, Svo, chap. iii. $4. p. 159, ^r. 
 
 (r) Scripture Vindicated Parti, p. 21, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord*s Day. 233 
 
 World, which we fhall never be able to Account for 
 in this Life •, it is therefore abfolutely NecefTary to a 
 due SubmilTion to the Wifdom and Goodnefs of Di- 
 vine Providence, that we be ftedfaftly confirmed in 
 the Belief and Acknowledgment thereof: Otherwife 
 every great Difficulty in the Management of Things 
 will fhock and confound us ; and bring us in great 
 Hazard and Danger of Infidelity, Now the Truth 
 and Certainty of Divine Providence may be clearly 
 proved and eflablifhed thefe three Ways. Firft^ By 
 Abftra6l and Metaphyfical Realbning from the Being 
 and Perfedions of God. For if there be a God exiftino- 
 in Nature, Intelligent and Omniprefent, of Infinite 
 Wifdom, Power, and Goodnefs ; as (I have already 
 proved) it is abfolutely impoffible, but that as His 
 Knowledge is Infinite, He mufl know in all Cafes 
 what is mofl conducive to the Happinefs of the World 
 in general, and to the Good of every Pardcular Per- 
 fon ; and fince He is Infinite in Power, and all 
 Things depend entirely upon Him ; it is impoffible 
 but that He muft be able to accompliffi all thofe 
 Things which he knows to be for the Benefit and Ad- 
 vantage of Mankind. And then fince He is Infinite 
 in Goodnefs ; He mufl confequently be wilHng to 
 make all His Creatures as Happy, as their Refpedive 
 Natures, Capacities and Stations, and the General 
 Good of the Univerfe confidered together, will admit. 
 For to ufe the Words of a very Judicious {s) Writer 
 upon this Occafion, " Either thefe Perfedions of 
 " God are adive where-ever there are proper objedts 
 '' to employ them, or they are nothing but empty 
 *' Sounds ; fo that if God cannot be conceived v/ith- 
 *' out them, they mud every where have their proper 
 *' Energy and Influence ; and all the Creation mufr 
 
 be 
 
 (s) Dr Marjh^irs SQvmons, Vol. I. p. 15, 
 
234 ADifcourfe concerning the 
 
 " be re^leniilied with them f/J" This Reafoning is 
 fo very clear and flrong % that we find that the Hea-- 
 ihens themfelves did readily infer and conclude that 
 there was a Wife and Good Providence over the Af- 
 fairs of this World, from a Conftderation of the 
 Being of God and His Perfe6lions (u). And they not 
 only thought it reafonable upon this Account to ac- 
 quiefce in the Difpenfations of Providence in the 
 Government of the World \ but alfo to fubmit pa- 
 tiently to the Will and Pleafure of God, under the 
 Afflictions and Calamities of this prefent Life (^}, And 
 it was owing to nothing el fe than a Miftake of the Na- 
 ture and Perfedlions of God, in Epicurus ar)d his F.l- 
 lowers ; when they thought it was inconfiflent with 
 the Perfed Eafe and Happii efs of God, to concern 
 Himfelf with the Affairs of Mankind (y). And in- 
 deed the Argument for a Providence drawn from the 
 Bdng and Perfedions of God, is fo very ftrong an4 
 
 cogent ; 
 
 (/) This Matter ha-^ been clearly and fully deinorflrated by fc- 
 \'cral of our Learned Writers. See particuhrly, Dr Clarke's Ser- 
 TJions at Eoyie\ Lectures. Part I. Prop. xii. Part II. in the Intro- 
 du6tion. Woo^ajlons Religion uf Nature., kc.Se^. 5 18. 
 
 {u) Quo concelTo (Deos effe) confitendam eft Eorum Conlilio 
 Mun'dum Adminiftrari. Cic. de Nat. Deor. lib it. Deorum Pro- 
 videntia Mundus adminiftratur, iidemque confulunt rebus humanis, 
 neque folum iiniverii^ verum etiam fingulis. Cic de Divi/.at. lib. /. 
 'AaM KK<Ciot (6?o/) y^ y^Ku (tvioii t^v Avfifca^t^cov^ t^'c Marc, 
 Anton, de Set Jo lib ii.% 8. ^ee alfo Simplicius in Epiaet. cap, 
 xxxviii. In which there are many Excellent things faid u^on this 
 Head of God's Provider ce. 
 
 {x) Vid. Senec. Confdat. ad Polybium. cap xxix. Marc. Anton, 
 lib. i. §. ult. lib. V. $. 25. lib. vi. \. 8. lib. xii. §. ult. Arrian in 
 Epi£let. lib iii. cap. xxvi. 
 
 (jy) Omnis enim per fe Divum natura necefTe eft, 
 Immortali scvo fumma cum pace fruatur, 
 Semota a noftris rebus, fejunctaque longe. 
 Nam privata dolore omni, privaia periclis, 
 Ipfa fuis pollens opibus, nihil indiga noftri, 
 ^ec bene promeritis capit,ur, nee tangittir ira- 
 
 hucret, lib, i. 
 
Religious Obfervation of //5?^ Lord's Day. 235 
 
 cogent ; that we don't find that any of the Philofophers 
 (except the Epicureans) ^y^ho owned the Being of God, 
 did ever deny His Providence. And Cicero obferves 
 of Epicurus •, that hov/ever in Words he acknow- 
 ledged a God, yet in Truth and Fa6l he denied Him 
 (2;. But, 
 
 Secondly^ Becaufe all Perfons are not able to difcover 
 a Providence this way *, therefore I fhall mention an- 
 other Proof and Evidence thereof, which is more 
 plain and fenfible : And this arifes from a View and 
 Contemplation of the vifible Works of Nature. For 
 as the amazing Beauties and Perfedlions in Nature 
 do clearly prove that the World was made by an in- 
 finitely Wife and Perfe6l Being {a) -, fo the Continu- 
 ing the World in that Order, Beauty, and Regularity 
 in which we obferve it, is a manifeft Indication that it 
 is managed by His Providence {h). The Diurnal and 
 Annual Motion of the Earth, by which the Revolu- 
 tions of Night and Day (r), and the Viciffitudes of 
 the Seafons are regularly brought about ; The Gene- 
 ration of Mankind, Animals and Plants -, The propor- 
 tioning the Number of the different Sexes to each other, 
 in order for the better Propagation of the feveral 
 Species ; the Plentiful Provifion which is made for 
 all Creatures in the World according to their 
 
 kind. 
 
 (z) Epicurum ne in ofFenfionem Athenienfmm caderet, verbis 
 reliquifle Deos, re fuftulifTe. Cic. de Nat, Deor. lib. u 
 
 {a) Vid.Woolafton, Sea. 5. Prop. xiv. p. 79, ^c. 
 
 \b) Coeleflem ergo admirabilem ordinem incredibilemque con- 
 flantiam ex qua Confervatio & falus omnium oritur, qui vacarc 
 Mente putat, is ipfe Mentis expers habendus eft. Cic. de Nat. Deor, 
 lib. it. 
 
 (r) Jam Diei No(5lifque viciffitudo confervat animantes, tribuen? 
 aliud agendi tempus, aliad quiefcendi. Sic 'undique omni ratione 
 concluditur mente confilioque divino omnia in hoc mundo ad fa« 
 lutem omnium, confervationemque admirabiliter adminiftrari. Cic. 
 de Nat, Deor, lib. ii. 
 
236 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 kind. TfaL cxlv. 15, 16. cxlvi. 8, 9, i ^;;z. vi. 17 (<i)." 
 and to fay no more, the Increafingor Withdrawing 
 the BlefTings of Lite in order to reward or punifli 
 the Nations of the World according to their Deferts 
 ((?). Fjal. cvii. 34, £fr. Thefe with many other things 
 which might be named, are fuch plain and clear Proofs 
 and Evidences of a Wife and Good Providence over 
 the World ; that a Man muft be utterly void of Com- 
 mon Ser.fe, who can withftand them. And then, 
 
 '^bh'-dly and lafily^ We may be fully afTured of the 
 Truth and Certainty of God's Providence from the 
 Teftimony of Divine Revelation. The Government 
 of the Je-wljh Nation furniiheth us with a Demonftra- 
 tion of this, as I have already obferved, (p. 175, 
 i£c.) and the ilime is alfo very Evident trom the 
 Whole Bible. And all thofe Arguments whether 
 they are drawn from Prophecy^ Miracles^ or any other 
 Confiderations, which prove the Divine Authority of 
 the Holy Bible ; do alfo prove the Truth of God's 
 Providence which is contained therein. And no Man can 
 pOifibly evade thofe Proofs, efpecially that which is 
 drawn from the Miracles of our BlefTed Saviour, without 
 giving up the Faith of all Hiftory r Since the Miracles 
 of Chriit were luch plain inconteflable Fadls wrought 
 publickly in the Face of the World and for feveral 
 Years together ; that the greateft Adverfaries of 
 our Faith, whether Jews or Gentiles^ have not prefumed 
 to deny the Truth of them. Thefe are the Proofs 
 
 and 
 
 M Se. Ecchf. xliii. 
 
 {e) We fee that Nature hath al\rays confpired with Providence as 
 it's Ailbciate and Confederate, and that the Natural World does fo 
 incline to and an Twer to the Moral, that one appears to be the Ser- 
 vant and j\/liniller of the other ; vix,, to execute the Vengeance of 
 the Wrath of God upon a SinfuLAge, or to proclaim His Bleffing 
 upon a Virtuous One. Dr Thomas Burntt of the Faith and Duties 
 of Chrijlians chap. viii. f. sic;. See alfo a very Excellent and 
 Judicious Difcourfe on {his Point, in Dr Fiddesh Sermons, VqL Ih 
 Sermon 14. 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day, 237 
 
 and Evidences which we have of a Wife and Good 
 Providence over the World -, and whofoever will 
 carefully attend to them, and frequendy and ferioufly 
 think and meditate upon them, will alTuredly be con- 
 vinced of this great Truth. I do not mean that he 
 will by this Means be able to explain the Difficulties 
 of Providence, or to account for mLiny Parts of the 
 Divine Condud in the Government of the World. 
 For after our utmolt Study and Enquiry into this 
 Matter, what the Apoftle obferves will il:iil hold 
 good ; viz. that the Judgments of God are unfearchable.^ 
 and His PFays paft finding out. Rem. xi. 33. And indeed 
 it would be very flrange, if the Counfels of Infinite 
 Wifdom could be fully underflood and comprehended 
 by us ; and if fuch imperfed fhortfighted Creatures 
 as we are, fliould by the utmoik. fearching he able to find 
 out God., to find cut the Ahnighty to Perfe^ion, Job xi. 
 7 . For hardly do we guefs aright at things that are upon 
 Earthy and with labour do we find the 'Things that are 
 before us : but the Things that are in Heaven., who hath 
 fearched out ? JVifd. ix. 16. But what I mean is this ; 
 that a due and frequent Confideration of thefe Argu- 
 ments, will give us fuch a ftrong and full Convidion 
 of a Wife and Good Providence over the World -, a,s 
 will make us think it highly reafonable, to commit our 
 ways unto the Lord., and to truft in Him, P/al. xxxvii. 
 5. to rell fadsiied with all the Divine Difpenfaiions, 
 and in all Cafes to fubmit ourfelves to His BlelTed 
 Will. It is for want of underilanding this matter 
 right •, that many Perfons do fo often queftion and 
 deny the Truth of God's Providence, and are impa- 
 tient under His Government. They firft lay down 
 a certain Rule and Scheme of Things, according to 
 v^^hich, they vainly imagine an Inftniiely Wife and 
 Good Being miuft necefj'arily ad and condud Himfelf ; 
 and when they find Things happen in the World, in 
 dired Contradidion thereto j then they are too apt to 
 
 lufped 
 
238 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 fufped (/J the Truth of Gods Providence, or at leafl 
 to conclude that fuch Things cannot poflibly be owing 
 to God's Appointment and Defignation. This hath 
 been the fatal Errour of fome late Writers againil 
 Chriftianity ; who might have proved excellent Rea- 
 foners, if they had been endued with more Humility. 
 Notwithflanding thofe Demonftrative Proofs and Evi- 
 dences which God hath given us of the Truth of the 
 Chriftian Religion ; yet they are very pofitive and con- 
 fident that it cannot be a Divine Revelation ; becaufe 
 it was not promulgated fo foon, nor propagated to 
 fuch an Extent, as in their great Wifdom they con- 
 elude a Revelation from God would certainly have 
 been. And to the fanie Principle, of making our 
 weak and fhallow Reafon the Rule and Meafure of 
 the Divine Counfels ; many falfe and Heretical Doc- 
 trines which have rifen in the Church have been 
 entirely owing, as a very Learned Writer truly ob- 
 ferves {g). And the fame mifchievous Principle has 
 not only difcovered itfelf in fome rare and extraordi- 
 nary Difpenfations of Divine Wifdom -, but alfo in 
 the common and ordinary Events which happen in the 
 World. The Munich e an Herefy of two Independent 
 Principles was founded in this •, that fmce God cannot 
 polTibly be the Author of Evil, and it is plain in Fad 
 
 that 
 
 if) Which of us will not readily confefs that our Knowledge 
 5s finite ? And yet, when we come to ufe it, we behave as if we 
 thought it infinite. Known unto us are all God's Counfels from 
 the p'oundation of the World. W'e arraign and acquit His Provi- 
 dence as beft: fuits with our own Schemes of Government ; and the 
 fecret Things which belong to him, we explain in fo clear a man- 
 r.er that they fecm to be no Secrets at all to us ! It is a Refleftion 
 we think upon our Underftmdings, not to be able to give fome Ac- 
 count of every thing. S:»:utionr., Subtleties, and Diftin6lions are 
 found out to palliate our Ignorance ; and rather than renounce one 
 favourite Errour, we intrench our felves witiiin a thoufand others, 
 Dr Littleton % Sermons^ Vol, I p. 108. 
 
 {z) Scripture Vindicated, Part II. p. 67, 6%, 
 
Religious Obfervatlon of the Lord's Day. 23.9 
 that there are innumerable Evils both Natural and 
 Moral in the World -, there mufl: therefore be an Evil 
 Principle in the Univerfe as well as a Good one. And, 
 as a Learned Writer well obferves, there are too many 
 Perfons to be found among us ; who quarrel with 
 God's Providence, on the Account of the Evils and 
 Afflidions of this prefent Life. " Could they, fajs he^ 
 " fee fuch a World, in which there were no lament- 
 *' able Sights nor doleful Complaints, to move our 
 " Pity, nor to terrify us with the melancholy Prefages 
 " of our own Sufferings •, nor to make frightful Im- 
 " prefTions on us of a fevere.and inexorable Deity ; 
 '' they would then thankfully own the Divine Good- 
 " nefs, and rejoyce in it : but, fay they, the World 
 " wherein we live gives us a very different Profped ; 
 " we fee a great many miferable People, and feel a 
 " great many Miferies ourfelves, and many Times 
 " exped and fear a great many more •, and how un- 
 " like is this World to what we fhould have imagined 
 •' the World to have been, .had we never feen it, but 
 " only heard of a World made and governed by in- 
 " finite andperfed Goodnefs {h)r And, as the fame 
 Excellent Author elfewhere exprefles it, "I cannot 
 *' wit::out fome Indignation redea: upon the Bafenefs 
 *' and Ingradtude of Mankind, who Irve and move 
 *' and have their Being in God\ who know how litde 
 *' they deferve of Him ; and feel every Day hov/ 
 " many Bleffings they receive from Him ; and yet 
 ." feeni never better pleafed than when they can find 
 *' or ignorantly invent fome plaufible Pretence to re- 
 " proach His Goodnefs fi)." Now the only Rem.edy 
 that I know of in thefe Cafes, either to fecure our 
 Piety towards God under the hard and intricate Dif- 
 penfationa of His Providence, or to furnilh us with 
 
 Patience 
 
 {h) Sherlock on Divine Providence, chap, vii. p. 217. 
 (i) Sberlockf ibid, p. 267. 
 
240 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 Patience and SubmifTion to His Will under fliarp and 
 grievous Afflictions ; is to confirm ourfelves in a ftead- 
 fafh Belief of Divine Providence, by a frequent and 
 ferious Meditation upon the Proofs and Evidences 
 thereof. And when we are thus confirmed in this. Be- 
 lief, to be peremptorily refolved to lay afide all our 
 Doubts, and to give up all Difficulties, upon the Ac- 
 count of God's Infinite Goodnefs and Unerring Wif- 
 dom. Otherwife, every great Difficulty which we 
 meet with in the Management of Things will Hiock 
 our Faith and endanger our Conflancy ; and we 
 fhall be too apt to murmur and complain of God and 
 His Providence, whenfover any great Calamity and 
 Diftrefs fhall fall upon us. And this Judgment upon 
 the Point is I think highly juft and reafonable : for 
 fince we have abundant Demonftration in many Parti- 
 culars, that a Wife and Good Providence governs the 
 World -, we may very fafely conclude that he does fo 
 in all (k). And fince we are fure that God made the 
 World for our Sakes, and hath put all Creatures there- 
 in under our Dominion (l)^ and hath enriched us on 
 every fide with the Bleffings of His Goodnefs ; it 
 would argue a great want of Underflanding, as well as 
 Gratitude, if we fhould queflion his kind Providence 
 towards us (771) ; becaufe He hath not granted us every 
 Particular Thing which we defire (';/), or hath fent 
 
 fome 
 
 ILZ^Zv cwj^ <i^ovo^v^ fiJWsp x^ cu T'^yy^^ 'joj^iO-^i. Xj^ >b /frpo? 7^^ 
 
 Epidet. cap. xxxviii, pag. 214. 
 
 (/J Fid. PraLviii- 
 
 (m) Quern vero Aftrorum ordines, quern Dierum Noetiumque 
 viciffitudines, quern Menfium Temperatio, quemque ea quai gig- 
 nuntur nobis ad fruendum, non Gratum t{^& cogant, hunc Homi- 
 ncm omnino numerare qui decet ? Cic. de Legib lib. ii. 
 
 (n) Bona fortuns & foelicitas externa non adherent Virtuti ^ & 
 
 hpknux in hac vjca ; His nga minus gaudeut nee jnfrequentius, 
 
 - - - ^ inlulu 
 
Religious Obfervatim of the Lord's Day. 241 
 
 fome Affliction upon us which is neceflary for our 
 Good. The Force of this Reafoning is exceedingly well 
 exprefled by a very Learned Writer in an excellent 
 Similitude, applied by him to the Refutation of the 
 Manichean Herefy^ and it will hold equally in the pre- 
 fent Argument. "' If^ fays he^ there are Evils of 
 '* which Men know not the true Origin ♦, yet if they 
 ^^ would but ferioufly refledl upon the many Marks of 
 '' Reafon, Wifdom, and Goodnefs, every v/here to 
 " be obferved in Inftances which they do or may un- 
 " derftand, they could fcarce doubt but the fame 
 '' Things prevailed in thofe which they do notunder- 
 *' fland. If I jfliould meet with a Book, the Author 
 *' of which I found had difpofed his Matter in beaiiti- 
 *' ful Order, and treated his Subjeds witli Reafon 
 " and Exaftnels -, but at lafl^ as I read on, came to 
 *' a few Leaves written in a Language which I did not 
 '• know ; in this Cafe I fhould dole the Book with a 
 *' full Perfuafion, that the lame Vein of good Senfe, 
 *' which Ihewed itfelf in the former and much greater 
 '' Part of it, ran thro' the other aifo {0). But, 
 
 Secondly^ A due and ferious Meditation upon the 
 Proofs and Evidences of Divine Providence, is abfc- 
 lutely necelTary to furniili us with Patience and Sub- 
 miffion to the Will of God, under the Calamities and 
 Afflidlions of this prefcnt Life. There will be no 
 Neceflity of infilling long upon this ; fince what hath 
 been laid down under the former Head m.ay very 
 eafily be applied to this. I fliall therefore only at 
 prefent obfervc thus much, viz. that if the Corrimon 
 Difficulties in the Management of Things, and the 
 
 R Calamities 
 
 jnfulfi pravique homines. Quod fi in his fita efTet ultimo faslicitas 
 humana, & hie penitus terminand:i, hunc perturbatum rerum ordi- 
 nem minime ferret fummus Adundi Re£lor, idemque judex jcquif- 
 fimus. Burnet de Statu Mortuoriun & Refurgentiurr,. cap. ii. p. 3. 
 . io) JVooI(ijlon\ Rdig. of Nar. ddin. ^. v. 7. p. 72. See the 
 Sedion itfelf, in which there are many Excellent Things faid, to 
 dear up the Difficulties of Divine Providence, 
 
242 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Calamities of Life to which Mankind are generally^ 
 fubjcd-, do often tempt Men to fufpedl and queftion 
 the Truth of God's Providence •, they muft certainly 
 be in much greater Danger of this Temptation, when 
 they are cxercifed themfelves with fuch Afflidions, 
 as are moil grievous and terrible. And indeed there 
 are fome Affli61:ions of this Life fo heavy, and fome 
 Pains and Sufferings fo fharp and fevere •, that there 
 mufb be great Allowance made for the Weaknefs and 
 Lifirmity of Men in their Complaints under them. 
 And we find \x\ Fad, that the very befc of Men, who 
 really and heartily believed the Providence of God •> 
 could not forbear expoftulating with Him on the Ac- 
 count of their Sufferings. Thus the Pfalmift in Pfalm 
 Ixxiii. QQYn^ldAnso^tYitProfperity^ftheJVicked^ whilil 
 he Hiys that he.hhnfclf was pinijloed all the Day longy and 
 c-hafiened every Morning, ver, xiv. And Holy Job 
 who was fo eminent for his Patience, and in fuch em- 
 phatical Words expreffed his SubmifTion to the Will 
 and Pleafure of God, chap. i. 21. ii. 10. yetwasfocafl 
 down and dejeded by his extreme Afilidions -, as to 
 curfe the Day of his Birth, to wifn that he had died 
 ever fince he was born, and to think the Continuance 
 of his Life a great Burthen and Misfortune to him °, 
 as you may read at large in the Third Chapter. If 
 therefore fjch extraordinary Perfons v/ho firmly be- 
 lieved the Providence of God, and had the utmoft Re- 
 liance and Dependance thereupon, were apt to com- 
 plain fo heavily under their SuiTerings ; we mufl needs 
 think thoie Men to be in a bad Condition, who when 
 they are cafl into the Furnace of AffdBion^ Ifa, xlviii. 
 10. are yet not endued with this Belief, or at leailg 
 have confiderabie Doubts in their Minds concerning 
 it. It is therefore of the utmoil NecefTity in order to 
 fupport Men under the Troubles of this Life ; that by 
 due and frequent Meditation upon the Proofs and 
 Evidences of Divine Providence, they confirm diem- 
 fclves iledfaflly in the Belief thereof : that fo when 
 
 the^^ 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Bay. 2 43 
 
 they fall into the Troubles of this Life, and when 
 D'lftrefs and Angmlh come ii-pcn them. Prov. i. 27. they 
 may have Confidence and Comfort in Him, who is a 
 Strength to the Needy in their Diftrefs^ Ifa. xxv. 4. And 
 Whofe Eyes run to and fro in the Earth, to fljew Himfelf 
 flrong in the Behalf of them whcfe Heart is perfeB tczvard 
 Him. 2 Chrcn. xvi. 9. For otherv/ife, there are 
 many Conditions of this Life v/hich would be abfolute- 
 Jy intolerable, and it would be impofiible for the 
 bravefh Men in the World to keep up their Spirits 
 under them. Nay, I fear, if Men are not fupported 
 by a firm Belief of God's Wife and Good Providence ; 
 they will not be able to bear the com.mon and ordi- 
 nary Afflidions of Life with due Patience and Submif- 
 fion. And indeed it is only owing to the Want of this 
 Belief; that we obferve fo much Complaint and Mur- 
 muring in the Generality of Mankind under them. 
 The great Uneafmefs of Men under their SuiTerings 
 the antient Philofophers iXxWj perceived ; and there- 
 fore they invented many ftrange Arts and Devices, to 
 divert the Senfe of Pain and Mifery. To this End 
 fome of them afTerted, that there w^as no fuch Thing 
 as Pain and Mifery ; but that it v/as altogether owing 
 to Fancy and Imagination. -But becaufe the Com- 
 plaints of thefe Men under their Afiiiftions was a De* 
 monflration of the Falfehood of this Suggeflion ; 
 therefore others maintained, that tho' Pain was Real, 
 yet it was no Evil, and that it was unbecoming 
 a Wife Man to be concerned about it ; v/ith many 
 other Notions (0) which were too ridiculous to gain 
 any confiderable Reception : Since, as a mofl Excel- 
 lent Prelate well exprefTes it (/)), " all Philofophy 
 '^ that will not acknowledge Lofs and Pain and Suf- 
 *' fering, to be Evils and troublefome, and terrible ; 
 
 R 2 "is 
 
 (0) Fid. rUiotfor, Vol. L p. 65, 66, 
 (t) Tilhtfin, Vol. III. p. 402, 
 
244 ^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 " is either obdinate Sullenefs or grofs Hypocrify/^ 
 But thole v/ho were the bell and wifefl of them enjea- 
 vcured to perluade Men to be patient under AfHi6lic:;:s, 
 from a Confideration of the Wifdom and Goodnefs of 
 Divine Providence -, as I have jult nov/ obferved. 
 And Epicurus himfelf, tho' he denied a Providence •, 
 yet v/as fo fenfible of the NecefTity of Providence to 
 lupport and comfort Men under their Affli6cions ; diat 
 he could not help faying, thr.t " he thought it much 
 '' better to believe the Fable itfelf of the Heathen Gods •, 
 " than that the World lliould be governed by a blind 
 '' Necefflly.'^ And he gives an admirable Reafon for 
 ic, viz. '■' becaule, fays he, there is Hopes that the 
 " Gc(^s may be prevailed upon by Worfhip and 
 " Prayer, but Necejjtty is ablblutely deaf and inexcr- 
 " able(q)r But, 
 
 'Thirdly, Another Point of Religion, which it is ne- 
 cefiary for us frequently to think and meditate upon ; 
 is That concerning the Infinite Love and Goodnefs of 
 God to Mankind, in the Redemption of the World 
 by the Death of Chrijl. Now I lliall not upon 
 this Head enquire whether the Death of Chriji- 
 was a True, Real, and Meritorious Sacrifice for the 
 Sins of the v/hole World ; for as this is exprefsly 
 alTerted in innumerable Texts of Holy Scripture {r) -, 
 fo it hath been clearly proved and demonurated by 
 feveral Learned Writers beyond all Contradiction (j). 
 Neither fliall I at prefenc enter into the Queition, 
 
 whether 
 
 Efliuri Lit era ad Meiiecaum apud Diog. Laert. in Vita Eficii.i. 
 
 (r) See a very large Colleition cf Texts to this Purpofe in 7/7- 
 Mjh?7, Vol. in. pag. 4S9. 
 
 (i) See paxticulirly Grotius de Brdlsfabiom Chrijli. StiUingjlcet 
 on the Siifterings of Chriji. Sherlock on the Immortality oi the 
 SouJ, ^-c. chap. V. ^. 4. TiUotfony Vol.- III. pag. 490. 
 
Religious ObfervatioJt of fhehovi^^T^^y 24.5 
 
 whether the Death of Chrift was fo abfolutely necellary 
 to the Redemption purchaled thereby ; as that God 
 could not confidently with His Perfe6lions, have, 
 without fuch Satisfadiion, pardoned the Sins of Men 
 upon their true Repentance. For it does not become 
 us (neither do I believe it is in our PowerJ to deter- 
 mine in fuch a Cafe, what God abfolutely might or 
 might not do. But as the Holy Scriptures have plainly 
 told us, that it is upon the Account of Chrift's Death, 
 that God hath pardoned the Sins of Mankind, and 
 that it is only t trough His Blood that 'we have obtained 
 Redemption ; Ephef. i, 7. we may fafely venture to alTert 
 thus much ; that no other Method of Reconciliation, 
 as far as we are able to conceive, could have been fo 
 fuitable to the Holinels and Juftice {t) of God, as v/ell 
 as neceffary to fupport the Honour and Dignity of 
 his Government (//). But tho' we dare not prefume 
 to fay that Satisfa6lion to God's Juftice v/as fo abfo- 
 lutely neceffary to the Pardon of Sin, that he could 
 not poffibly (:>c) pardon Sin without it \ yet on the 
 other fide, we are very certain, that it can never be 
 proved from God's Perfedlions (notwithftanding a late 
 Author is very pofitive (y) thereof), that God is ob- 
 liged without fuch Satisfidtion, to forgive Men their 
 Sins immediately upon their Repentance. For, as a 
 
 R 3 * great 
 
 (i) Certainly next to exacting the Punifhment dae to our Sins 
 at our own Hands, the molt dreadful Severity God could have ex- 
 prefied, was to refolve not to remit it upon any other Considera- 
 tion, than that of His own Son's undergoing it in oi>r Stead \hY 
 which, He hath given us tiie greateft Reafon that Heaven and Earth 
 could afford to tremble at His Juilice, even whilil we are inclofed 
 in the Arms of His ivlercy. Dr Scott's Chripan Up, ^vo. Vol L 
 chap, iv.feii, i. p. 202, 203. ■ 
 
 (u)Vif^. Shp'lock, ibid. Co/ieybeare'sTjcfenCe, &c. pag. 114, c^^* 
 Brozuti's Defenfe, p. 471, i^c. 
 
 {x) See Archbifliop Synge\ Gentleman'' s Religion., Part, U- 
 
 (y) Chriflianity as old as the Creation^ chap. xiv. p. 417, ^e, 
 
246 A Difcoin^fe concernmg the 
 
 great Prelate truly obferves, if our Obedience for the 
 Time to conie were never fo perfed, " yet, fays he^ 
 *' Obedience for the fjture could make no Repara- 
 *' tion to the Juftice of God for our pail Sins and 
 '• TranigreiTions •, and therefore we cannot hope for 
 " our own Righteoumefs to be juftified and accepted 
 '' with God, and upon the Merit of it to have our 
 " Sins pardoned, much lefs to be rewarded with E- 
 " ternal Life (2)." To which I will beg Leave to 
 add the very Excellent Words of a late judicious 
 Writer : " The Relation between the Creator and the 
 '' Creature as fuch, continuing thro' all Parts of the 
 *' Creature's Exiftence, the fame •, it is clear, that an 
 *' abfolute Obedience in every Particular m_uft be al- 
 *' ways due : Obedience therefore for the future muft 
 " as really be due, as Obedience was in the paft \ and 
 *' Repentance itfelf (compleat Repentance I mean J is 
 " nothing elie but a future Obedience fucceeding a 
 " pail TranfgreiTion. This Obedience which would 
 " have been his Duty on Suppofition of paft Inno- 
 " cence, can make no am.ends for paft TranfgrefTion : 
 *' The mere View of this, cannot be a Reafon why 
 " fuch TranfgreiTion fhould be pardoned : It may re- 
 *' commend the prefent, but cannot excufe the 
 *' pafb {a)y And indeed, as a very learned Author 
 juftly obferves, " It cannot pofitively be proved from 
 '" any of God's Attributes, that He is ahfolutely obliged 
 " to pardon all Creatures all their Sins at all Times, 
 **^ barely and immediately upon their Repenting. 
 " There arifes therefore from Nature no fufficient 
 *' Comfort to Sinners, but an anxious and endlefs So- 
 *' licitude about the means of appeafing the Deity. 
 * ' Hence thofe diverfe ways of Sacrificing and number- 
 
 '' lefs 
 
 (z) Tillctfon, Vol. III. p. 175. 
 
 [a) Dr Coneybearis Defence, chap, i;, p. 117. See from p. 1 14. 
 to 131 = 
 
Religious Obfervation of ^fo Lord's Day. 247 
 
 ^' lefs Superftitions which overfpread the Face of the 
 '« Heathen World, ^c. (b)r Since then the Necef- 
 fity of a Sacrifice in order to fatisfy the Juftice of God, 
 as well as to maintain the Honour of His Government •, 
 is very evident from Natural Reafon itfelf, and the 
 Senfe and Judgment of Mankind in all Ages of the 
 Vv^orld (c) : We may therefore hence difcover the In- 
 finite Love and Goodnefs of God, in fending his only 
 Begotten Son into the W^orld for our Redemption. 
 And we lliould frequendy and ferioufxy think and me- 
 ditate upon it, as a moil ftrong and pov/erful Motive 
 of our Obedience and Gratitude towards Him. Upon 
 which Account the Holy Scriptures fo frequently re. 
 prefent this Matter to us •, and alcribe our Redemp- 
 tion by our Bleffed Saviour's Death to the great Love 
 which God and C/^ri/? had for us. ^ohn iii. 16. i John 
 iv. 9. Ro7n. V. 8. Ephef. v, 2. Johnxv. 13. i John 
 iii. 16. And as the Holy Scriptures often put us in 
 Mind of the Love of God in this Difpenfation, as a 
 ftrong Argument of our Love and Obedience to him ; 
 fo likewife do they earnefdy urge the fame Confide- 
 ration, to excite us to the great Duty of Love and Cha- 
 rity for one another. Thus £\ys St John, Beloved, if 
 Godfo Icvedus, we ought alfo to love one another, i Ep, 
 iv. II. And Si Paul lays it dov/n as a very good 
 Reafon againft the Sin of giving Offence to others, 
 viz. Deftroy not him with thy Meat for whom Chrift died. 
 Ro?n. xiv. 15. See alfo 1 Cor. viii. 11. And for this 
 Caufe, no doubt, among others, the Bleffed Sacra- 
 ment of Chrift's Body and Blood was inflituted •, that 
 a Senfe and Remembrance of His Lneftimable ]::©ve 
 in dying for us, might the more powerfully engage 
 us to have Love and Charity for one another. For 
 
 R 4 this 
 
 {b) Dr Samuel Clarke's Sermons at Boylis Leaures, Part IL 
 Prop. 6. §. iii. 2. See the Pl^ce. 
 ' (f) See Dr Marjkallh Sermons, Vc'. I. p. 443> ^^^ 
 
248 A Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 this is the Dodrine in which our Blefled Saviour in- 
 llrudled His Difciples immediately before his Suffer- 
 ings •, at the Time when this Holy Ordinance was ce- 
 lebrated and appointed by Him. Thus fays our Lord, 
 Ihs is my Coyranandment^ that ye love one another^ as I 
 have loved you. And then it immediately follows. 
 Greater Love hath no Man than th'is^ that a Man lay 
 down his Life for his Friends, John xv. 12, 13. If 
 then we are defirous to attain to that Perfedlion of 
 Piety and Virtue, which our Holy Religion requires 
 of us ; we muft often employ our Minds in a Devout 
 and Serious Meditation upon the Great Love of Chriji 
 in dying for us. A Refledion upon the Being and 
 Attributes of God, His Wifdom and Goodnefs in crea- 
 ting this World, and prefer ving and governing it by 
 His Providence ; are indeed fufficient Arguments and 
 Motives of our Obedience and Gratitude towards Him. 
 But nothing can work fo powerfully upon our Affec- 
 tions, nor inlpire us with fuch an exalted Senfe of 
 God's Infinite Love and Goodnefs towards us, as the 
 Confideration of our Bleffed Saviour's Sufferings (i). 
 Imagine then, kind Reader, that thou now feefl thy Dear 
 Saviour's Body flretched upon the Crofs ♦, His Head 
 crowned with Thorns ; His Hands and Feet nailed 
 to the ¥/ood ; His Side pierced with a Spear •, His 
 Flefh rent and torn with Scourges ; and His Precious 
 Body cverv/helmed v/ith Blood! Think that thou 
 hearefl Film now in an Intolerable Agony, under the 
 Heavy Burthen of the Sins of the whole World, tor- 
 mented by all, and even abandoned by His Father 
 Hi«nifclf j v/lio did as it were withdraw His Gracious 
 
 Prefence 
 
 f^J The great Poii-.ts of the Incarnation and Sufferings of our 
 Saviour, produce naturally ilich Habits of Virtue in the Mind of 
 Man ; tliat fuppofing it ivere poffible for us to be miftaken in them, 
 tiie Inii^iel himfelfmufl at leaft allow, that no other Syflem of Re- 
 ligion could fo cficflually contribute to the heightening of Morality, 
 Mr Addi.Gn //v Speaaicr, No. 186. ^eetbsFlacs, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 249 
 
 Prefence from Him for a-while, and fufpend thofe 
 Comforts with which all His other Servants are com- 
 monly fupported and refrefhed in their Afflidions ; 
 which forced from Him that Melancholy Complaint, 
 My God^ my God^ why haft thou forfaken me. Coulcift 
 thou, I fay, behold this Bifmal Sights and hear this 
 Mournful Voice without the greateft Grief and Concern 
 of Mind ; confidering that Chr'ift. fuffered all this for 
 thy Sake ! When our Dear Saviour was hanging up- 
 on the Crofs, Nature was in Convulfions ; and feemed 
 to be approaching tov/ards it's DifTolution. The Sun 
 hid himfelf and withdrew his Light, as if he could 
 not behold fuch a Prodigy of Wickednefs tranft&d ; 
 ^f Veil of' the 'Temple was rent in twain from the Top to 
 the Bottom ; the Earth did quake, and the Rocks rent ; 
 and the Graves were opened, and many Bodies of Saints 
 which flept arofe. Matt, xxvii. 45, 51, 52. And 
 furely then we muft be ftupid and infenfible in- 
 deed, and our Hearts muft be harder than the nether 
 Millftone, Job xli. 24, if we can ferioufly refle6l upon 
 thefe Amazing Sufferings of our Blefied Redeem.er ; 
 and not be moved and prevailed upon thereby, to the 
 moft Ardent and Inflamed Love and Devotion towards 
 Him. We fhall think nothing too much to be done 
 for Chrift's Sake, no -, although we fhould lay down 
 our Lives for Him ; if we will but call to mind. 
 His Infinite Love to us, in dying for us : Efpecially 
 if, befides the Unparallelled Barbarity and Indignity 
 of His Sufferings, we Ihall duly confider thefe three 
 Things, which do exceedingly enhance and increafe 
 His Love. Firft, The Excellency and Dignity of 
 His Perfon. He was no Common, Ordinary Sufferer, 
 not a mere Man like our felves ; tlie Son of Man in- 
 deed, but at the fame time the Son of God \ the Bright- 
 nefs of His Father's Glory, and the Exprefs Image of 
 His Perfon ; One who was in the Form of God, and 
 thought it no Robbery to be equal with God, and yet mads 
 Himfelf of no Reputation^ &:c. Phil, ii, 6, ^c, and to 
 
 fa7 
 
250 A Difcourje concerning the 
 
 fay Ro more, He is one who, as the £ime Apoitle 
 Ipeaks, is over all God Bleffed for ever^ Ro7n, ix. 5. 
 
 Secondly^ It is a great Enhancement of our Bleffed 
 
 Saviour's Love to confider the Perfons for whom he 
 
 died. They were not Righteous and Good Men, fuch 
 
 as had deferved any Favour from Him ; but wretched 
 
 and unworthy Perfons, Enemies to Gody as the Apollle 
 
 calls them, Rom. v. 10. And fo far from having 
 
 any Remains of Goodnefs in them *, that they were 
 
 quite dead in Trefpaffes and Sins. Eph, ii. i . "And yet 
 
 fo great and ailonifhing was the Love of Chrift., as 
 
 to be willing to lay down His Life for them. This 
 
 Argument the Holy Scriptures frequently take notice 
 
 of; and particularly in Rom. v. 7, 8, where St Paul 
 
 obferves, that jcarcely for a Righteous Man will one die., 
 
 yet peradventure for a Good Man^ fome would even dare 
 
 to die ; hut God co?mnendeth His Love towards us^ In that 
 
 while we were yet Sinners Chrifl died for us (e). 
 
 And in the Third and laft Place., It mightily in- 
 creafes the Love of Chrift in dying for us, to confider 
 the eafy Terms and Conditions which He requires on 
 our Part. So Tranfcendent is the Goodnefs of Chrifl 
 to us miferable Sinners, and fo miany and great are our 
 Obligations to Him ; that as the Servants of Naaman 
 faid to him in another Cafe, if he had hid us do fo?ne 
 Great Thing., ought we 'not to do it? 2 Kings v. 13. 
 Should he require the hardeft Things of us •, to fpend 
 Dur whole Lives in His Service ; to be continually 
 expofed to Labours and Perfecutions, and at laft to 
 fhed our Blood for the Benefit of Flis Church ; we 
 ought to do it with the utmoft Chearfulnefs. For as 
 the Apoitle well argues, Hereby perceive we the Love 
 pf God., hecaufe He laid down his Life for us : and we 
 ought to lay dozvn our Lives for the Brethren, i John 
 iii. 16. And it is very certain in fuch a Cafe, that after 
 
 all 
 
 {e) Fid, Grot, in loc. 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 25 1 
 
 all we could do, we fhould iHll be unprofitaUe Servants^ 
 and fhould never be able tocompenfate^the Innnite Va- 
 lue of Chrift'?> Sufferings, nor to merit that Immenfe 
 and Glorious Reward which by His Death He hath 
 purchafed for us. And yet fo Great is the Love and 
 Goodnefs of our Redeemer, that he hath enjoined 
 us nothing in the general Courfe and Tenour of our 
 Duty ; but what is eafy and delightful, as well as juR: 
 and reafonable, and moil beneficial to ourfelves. He 
 hath in a manner commanded us only to wajh and he 
 dean \ to repent us truly of our former Sins, and to 
 turn to Him in Newnefs of Life (/j. And if all 
 that He hath done and fuffered for our Sakes, cannot 
 pVevail upon us to do this •, it muft furely be, either 
 becaufe we defpife His Death and Sufferings, or that 
 we do not allow ourfelves Time ferioufly to refled: up- 
 on the Ineftimable Value and Merit of them. But, 
 
 Fourthly and laftly^ Another Principal Point of Re- 
 ligion upon which it is abfolutely necelTary for us fre- 
 quently to think and meditate, in order to the truly 
 Chrifiian Life and Converfation -, is That concerning 
 a Future Judgment, and the Everlafting Happinefs 
 and Miferies of another World. Now the Neceffity 
 of this will plainly appear ; if we confider the State 
 and Condition of Mankind, and what are the main 
 and moft prevailing Principles of their Adions. And 
 if v/e thus take a View of Mankind ; we fxiall foon 
 perceive that the greatefl Part of them are governed 
 by theirPaffions, and by a clofe Regard to worldly Inte- 
 reft and Pieafures. There are indeed fomefew Perfons, 
 who are regularly determined to the Praclice of Virtue, 
 from the Happinefs of theirTemper and the Goodnefs of 
 
 their 
 
 //j Deus Summus perFilium Jefum ChriHum Dominum noHruni 
 volentes liberat, & p^nitentibus libenter ignofcit. Nee multa exi- 
 git, ut ignofcat. Fide tantum & Psenitentia poteflis redimere quic- 
 quid fceleratis Diaboli periuafionibus perdidiftis. Jul. Firmic, Mc- 
 ternus de Errore Prof an, Reli^' pag> 11,12. 
 
252 A Dlfcourfe concerning the 
 
 their Education. But with refped to the Generality 
 of Men, the Cafe is quite otherwife : They are too 
 eagerly and violently bent upon Prefent and Senfible 
 Gratifications : and even thofe who are the mofl 
 exadl and regular in the Pra6lice of Virtue, 
 have their Peculiar Temptations, which they fome- 
 times find it very hard and difficult to withftand. And 
 many of the beft and moft pious Men do not, in 
 many Cafes, aft religioufly, fo much becaufe their 
 Reafon and Confcience require them to do fo •, as be- 
 caufe they find a great Pleafare and Satisfadion in 
 fuch Adions at prefent, as well as hope to be re- 
 v/arded for them hereafter. Let the Stoic pretend 
 what he will, the Prefent State of Mankind is plainly 
 a State of Appetite and PafTion •, and therefore it is 
 in vain to think that Men will ever be governed in 
 fuch a State, by Abflraded Rules of Reafon, fuch ajs 
 tii-e fuitable only to a State of Paradife^ and Angelical 
 Perfedion. Every Man in the World is naturally 
 determined to his own Happinefs ♦, tho' different Men 
 purfue their Happinefs, by different Ways and Me- 
 thods. But whatfoever any Man pitches upon as the 
 Obje6l of his Happinefs *, he naturally purfues thofe 
 Means which tend towards the Enjoyment of it. 
 But now the firft Step to be Happy, is not to be 
 Miferable ; but this is what every Man thinks him- 
 felf to be, whenfoever he is debarred the Enjoyment of 
 thofe Things in which he places his chief Happinefs^ 
 In fuch a Cafe he feels a great Uneafmefs and Dif- 
 quietude in his Mind, which nothing but the Enjoy- 
 ment of his Beloved Objedt can poffibly remove. And 
 therefore fince the Generality of Mankind have fo 
 earneftly fet their Affcdlions upon the Riches and 
 Pleafures of this prefent Life -, it is no wonder that we 
 fhould always find them fo uneafy and impatient when- 
 foever they are deprived of them. Now the Cafe 
 being fo ; the Queltion is. How fhall a Man get rid 
 of this Inconvenience ? And when the Temptations 
 of Intereit and Worldly Pleafare exert their full 
 
 Strength 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 253 
 
 Strength and Force upon his AfFedions •, by what 
 means fhall he be able to deliver himlelf from that 
 Uneafinefs of Mind, which will certainly arife from 
 not complying with them ? Now I am well afifured, 
 this cannot poflibly be done any other way but this, 
 viz. by having his Affedions fo flrongly engaged 
 upon other Things of greater Confequence and Im- 
 portance to his Happinefs •, as that it Ihall be a much 
 greater Uneafinefs to him to loofe and forfeit 
 thofe Things, than to withfland the utmofl Rage and 
 Importunity of Temptations. For other wife, he will 
 certainly and infallibly comply with them ; fince every 
 Man is determined to rem.ove the greateft Uneafinefs, 
 as the Neceflary Means of making himfelf happy. 
 And therefore if a Man hath not a greater Value for 
 the Favour of God, and Eternal Life, than he has 
 for the Riches and Pleafures of this World, and it be 
 not a much greater Trouble and Uneafinefs to him to 
 relinquifh that Happinefs, than to withftand the Temp- 
 tations and Allurements of Sin -, it will be impoiTible to 
 perfwade him for the Sake of that Happinefs to renounce 
 his fenfual Defires and Inclinations. And on the other 
 fide, if a Man hath not a greater Dread and Terrour 
 of Future Punifhment than of any Temporal Suffer- 
 ings, to which he may be expofed upon the Account 
 of Religion •, he will never in Order to avoid that: 
 Punifhment, fubmit himfelf to the prefent Sufferings. 
 But now it is impoffible for a Man's Affedions to be 
 thus engaged ; /. e. that he fhould have a greater 
 Efleem and Value for the Favour of God and the 
 Happinefs of Heaven, than for the Interefls and 
 Pleafures of this prefent Life : and on the other fide, 
 that he fhould have a greater Dread and Terrour of 
 Future Punifhment, than of any Temporal Sufferings 
 and AfHidions ; unlefs he frequendy and ferioufly 
 thinks and meditates upon them. For there are two 
 Things abfolutely neceflary to give the Things of the 
 next Life, a Commanding Pov/er and Influence upon 
 
 our 
 
2 54 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 our AfFedions ; neither cf which can be obtained 
 without frequent and ferious Thought and Confide ra- 
 lion of them. The Firfl is. That we are firmly con- 
 vinced of the Truth and Certainty of them ; the 
 Second^ that we have a quick and lively Senfe and Ap- 
 prehenfion of the Nature and Importance of them. 
 And, 
 
 Firfty That the Things of another Life may have 
 a Commanding Force and Influence upon our Affec- 
 tions, it IS neceifary that we be firmly convinced of the 
 Truth and Certainty of them. This is a Pofition that 
 will not Hand in need of any long Proof ; it being fo 
 plainly fupported by the Reafon and Experience of all 
 Mankind. For if' thofe Perfons who arc iii"mly poiTef- 
 fed of the Belief of a Future Judgment and EternalRetri- 
 butions -, do yet in many Cafes find it hard and difficult 
 to refill Temiptations, and the Things of this World 
 do, notwithflanding their Belief, take too great-Hold 
 of them : we may eafily imagine that they muft have 
 a very ftrong and powerful Influence upon thofe Men 
 whofe Faith and Belief of future Things is weak and 
 wavering -, or who have any Confiderable Doubts in 
 their Minds concerning them. And indeed one main 
 Reafon, why there is fo little Piety and Virtue to be 
 found among us, and that the Generality of Mankind 
 are fo violently attached to the Interefts and Pleafures 
 of this prefent Life ; is becaufe they are not firmly 
 pofTefTed of the Belief of the Endlefs and Unfpeak- 
 able Rewards and Punifliments in the Life to come. 
 And indeed in fuch a Cafe it cannot be expelled that 
 they fhould a6t otherwife : Since Men do not love to 
 a6l upon Hazards ; and much lefs then will they be 
 willing to relinquifh the prefent EDJoyments of fuch 
 Things as are miofl agreeable and delightful to them, 
 for the Sake of future Things that are precarious and 
 uncertain. And therefore it is of the utmoft NecefTity 
 and Importance to the Pradice of Piety •, that Men 
 confirm themfelves in a fixt and fledfifl Belief of Re- 
 ligious 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 255 
 
 ligious Principles, by ferious and frequent Meditation. 
 For tho' Men may imagine that they have not the 
 leafl Doubt \\\ their Minds concerning the great Arti- 
 cles of Religion, efpecially fince they contend and 
 difpute for them with fo much Earneftnefs and Zeal ; 
 yet there is nothing more Eafy than for Men to de- 
 lude diemJelves in this matter. And the only Way 
 to know the Strength and Power of Religious Princi- 
 ples, is to put riiem to the Trial. • And therefore if 
 Men fail in the Hoar of Temptation (as many of the 
 moft Zealous Defenders of Religion too frequently 
 do) it is a fure Sign that their Faith and Belief of 
 Future Things is weak and infirm, or (which will be 
 confidered prefentlyj that they have a greater Love 
 and Affedion for the Things of this Life, than for 
 thofe of the next. For this is the Charader and Pro- 
 perty of True Faith as the Apolile obferves, i Job, 
 V. 4. that it over Cometh the World. But efpecially there 
 is the greater NecefTity that Men fhould confirm them- 
 felves ftedfaftly in the Belief of Religious Principles ; 
 by duly confidering and weighing the Proofs and 
 Evidences of them in thefe latter Times, when they 
 are in the Greateft Hazard and Danger of Infidelity. 
 And that not only from the Innumerable Evil Ex- 
 amples among us, (and thofe of very Knowing and 
 Learned Men, as well as fuch as are Weak and Ig- 
 norant) but alfo from the Craft and Subtlky of fe- 
 ducing Spirits, who are continually fpreading their 
 Poifon in Every Part of the Kingdom -, and v/ho 
 with the utmofl Art, and moil Indefatigable Induftry 
 have endeavoured to obfcure and perplex every Part 
 of the Chriftian Faith, and to invalidate and deftroy 
 all the Proofs and Evidences of Religion. Which 
 furely muft render it a Matter of the utmoft Neceflity 
 and Importance to all Perfbns among us, that they 
 frequendy confider and examine thofe Proofs and 
 Evidences, according to their feveral Abilities and 
 
 Opportunities 
 
256 Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Opportunities. And indeed there can be no other 
 Reafon affigned why fo many Men of good Natural 
 Parts and Underftanding go into the Meafures of In- 
 fidelity, and entertain a Mean and Contemptible Opi- 
 nion of the Chnftian Faith •, but becaufe they will not 
 fiudy both Sides of the Queflion Impartially, nor 
 allow themfelves time ferioufly and throughly 
 to weigh and conflder the many ftrong and unan- 
 fwerable Arguments which may be urged in Defenfe of 
 our Floly Religion. But, 
 
 Secondly^ That the Things of another Life may 
 have a Commanding Force and Influence upon our 
 Affeclions ; if is necelTary that we have a quick and 
 lively Senfe and Apprehenfion of the Nature and 
 Importance of them ; i. e. that Vv^e become fo duly 
 fenfible and throughly convinced of the great Dif- 
 ference between Things 'Temt-oral and Things Etenial ; 
 that v/e take a much greater Pleafure in the Hopes of 
 God's Favour and in the Happinefs of Heaven, than 
 in the beft and choiceft Deli8;hts which this World 
 affords : And on the other Side, that we have a much 
 greater Dread and Terrour of Future Punifhments, 
 than of the very woril: Evils and Calamities which 
 can befal us in this Vv^oi Id. Unlefs we are thus dif- 
 pofed in our Minds, it is ridiculous to pretend to 
 any Religion ; fmce the very Nature of Religion 
 confifts in being prevailed upon by the Superiour Mo- 
 tives and Confiderations of the next Life, to get the 
 better of the Temptations of this. And unlefs we are 
 thus affedied by the Belief of future Things, what- 
 ever ProfefTions of Religion we may make, we have^ 
 in that Cafe, jwihmg hut the For7n of Godiinefs, and at 
 the fame time deny the Fewer of it, 2 T^im. Hi. 5. But 
 now it is very difBcult to obtain this clofe Regard to 
 the Things of another Life •, and to give them the 
 Preference in cur Efleem and Value before thofe of 
 this Life. And the Reafon of it is this ^ becaufe the 
 
 Things 
 
Religious Qbfervation of the Lord*s Day. z^^ 
 
 Things of this Life, are prefent with (g) us, and ope- 
 rate flrongly upon our S.mfes ; We fee and tafte and 
 feel the Pleafures of it : Whereas, the Things of the 
 next Life are remote and diftant, and operate only 
 upon the I?naginatio7i^ which is a much weaker and 
 more ineifedlual Principle. And upon this Account, 
 I know the Enemies of Religion boaft and triumph ; 
 and when we would perfv/ade Men to live a Heavenly 
 and Divine Life from the Hopes of a Future Immortal 
 Inheritance, they look upon the i\.ttempt as Imprac- 
 ticable if not Impoflible. And for this they appeal 
 not only to the Nature of Things, and the Manifeft 
 Difference between t\\^ PoAvers of Appetite and Per- 
 fuafion ; but alfo to the known Conduct and Exam.- 
 ple of the greateft Part of Chriftians ; who tho' they 
 do indeed talk much and often about Religion, and 
 their great Love of God and Heavenly Things, yet 
 do vifibly and undeniably fet their Hearts and Affec- 
 tions ahnoft entirely upon this World. But tho' the 
 great Coldnefs and Indiiferency of the Generality of 
 Chrifiians with refpedl to the Things of the next Life, 
 gives the Enemies of Religion the utmoil Advantage 
 againft us, and it be indeed very difficult to get fuch 
 a Tafte and Relilh of Future Things, as to efteem 
 them in all Cafes above Things Prefent ; yet on the 
 other Side it is by no means Impradicable, {h) but 
 
 S may 
 
 (g) Self Love ftillftronger, as it*s Object's nigh, 
 Reafon's at Diftance, and in Profpeft lye ; 
 That fees immediate Good by prefent Senfe, 
 Reafon the Future and the Confequence. 
 
 EJfay on Man^ Part II. p. S, 
 {J)) Thicker then Arguments, Temptations throng. 
 At beft more watchful this, but that more flrong ; 
 The A6lion of the Stronger to fufpend, 
 Reafon ftill ufe, to Reafon ilill attend , 
 Attention, Habit, and Experience gains. 
 Each flrengthens Reafon, and Self love reftrains. 
 
 EJfay on Man ibU. 
 The Call of Mind which is natural to a difcreet Man makes hm 
 look forward into Futuritjr 3 and confider wh^t will be his Condi- 
 
 tioA 
 
2^S A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 may in Time and by Degrees be attained to with due 
 Care and Confideration. For if once Men are throu..;h- 
 ly perfwaded of the Immortality of the Soul and a 
 Future State ; they mufl needs be fenfible that as they 
 are to exift for ever in another World ; fo they can- 
 not poffibly be faid to be happy, unlefs they are made 
 happy for ever. But it is very plain that the Thi: gs 
 of this Life cannot make them fo •, becaufe in a little 
 time they will ceafe and come to an End. And tho' 
 the Happinefs of the Future State be in a great Mea- 
 ilire unknown •, yet that is no Objedion at all to the 
 Value and Importance of it. Many Things m^ay be 
 
 very 
 
 tion Millions of Ages hence, as well as what it is at prefent. He 
 knows that the ivCifery or Happinefs which are refer ve J for him 
 in another World, lofe nothing of their Reality by being placed 
 at fo great a Diftan:e from him. Tke Objects do not appear little 
 to him, becaufe they are remote. He confider.s that thole Plcafures 
 and Pains which lye hid in Eternity, approach nearer to him every 
 Moment, and will be prefen- with him in their full Weight and 
 Meafure ; as much as thofe Pains and Pleafures which he teeh at 
 this very Inflant. For this Reafon he is care'ul to fecare to him- 
 felf that which is the proper Happinefs of his Nature, and the 
 ultmiate Defign of his Being, he carries his Thoughts tt> ihe 
 Eud of every Adion, and confiders the moft diikn* as welJ as the 
 moit immediate Efftds of it He fuperfedes every little Profpedl 
 of Gam and Advantage which offers itfeh here, if he does not 
 iind it coniiftent with his Views of an hereafter In a Word, his 
 Hopes are full of Immortality, his Schem.s large and glorious, 
 and his Condudl fuitable to one who knows his true Interelt, and 
 how to purfue it by proper Methods 
 
 Mr Addijon in SpeBator, N° 225. 
 
 To a Wife and Confiderate Man, a great Good or a great Evil 
 which he :^elieves will certainly befal him according as he mana- 
 geth his Aff\irs Well or III ; tho' it be at fome diftance, is of 
 greater Force, than a far lefler Good or Evil which is prefent and 
 nearer at Hand Ti/iotfon i/ol. III. p. 520. 
 
 See a/fo a moil Excellent Paflage to this purpcie in Mr Lock's 
 E/Jay on Huma:: XJnderJi an dingy lib. ii^ chap, xxi. §, 70. too long to 
 behere ir.ferted* 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 259 
 
 Very Excellent in themfelves, and adminifter die great- 
 eft Delight and Pleafure to us, tho' at prefent we are 
 unacquainted with them. A Man that is born blind 
 can never have the leaft Senfe and Notion of Sight, 
 and of the exceeding Delight which the \}{t of that 
 Faculty affords to us ; and yet furely for all that, the 
 JJizht is /weet., and a pkafant "thing it is for the Eyes to 
 behold the Sun, EccL xi. 7. and to take a View of all 
 the Glories of this Vifible Creation. We did not know 
 what the Pieafures of this Life were, before we enjoyed 
 ■ them •, and yet we muft all readily acknowledge, that 
 many of them are very agreeable and delightfiiUo us. 
 And for the f^me Reafon,theThings of the nextLife may 
 give us an Infinitely greater Pleafjre and Satisfadion 
 than all other Things •, tho' at prefent, we are not able 
 to perceive and comprehend it. Nay to fpeak properly, 
 it is fo far from derogating from the Happinels of the 
 next Life, that it is in a great Meafure unknown to us ; 
 that this very Confideration highly raifes and encreafes 
 the Value of it. For did we perfeftly know what it 
 is, and were it like to any Thing which we enjoy in 
 this World -, we might then be fure that it could not 
 be very great (i). For v/liat the Wife Man hath ob- 
 ferved* of all the Pieafures of this Life, is certainly 
 true, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity. EccL 1. 2. And 
 for this Reafon, the more Sublime Account of the 
 Happinefs of Heaven, which is to be found m the 
 Vv^hole ScriDture, is fet forth in Negative Charaaers 
 and Defcriptions, Eye hath 'not feen {faith St PaulJ nor 
 Ear heard, neither ha^e entred into the Heart of Man^ 
 the "Things which God hath prepared for them that Icve 
 Hi?n. I Cor. ii. 9. But tho' the Happinefs of the 
 next Life be in a great Meafure unknown to us, and 
 there&e the more excellent (k) and deiirable -, yet 
 
 S 2 fi^-ce 
 
 m See Dr Sber/od on Death, chap i. Seft, 3. p. 7^. 77- 8^^^. 
 (k) We are dazled indeed with the Glory and Grandeur oi 
 * ^ Things 
 
26o A Dljcmirje concernmg the 
 
 fmce we are too apt to form our Judgments of Things 
 from Senfe and Experience, it hath pleafed God to 
 eondefcend fo far to our Weaknefs, as to fet forth 
 the Nature of our Happinefs, by Chara6ters and De- 
 fcrlptions taken from (uchThings as are of the greateft 
 Value and Efteem with us. Thus the Happinefs of 
 Heaven is defcribed in Scripture by the Name of a 
 Crown, T Cor. ix. 25. " Sometimes it is called a King- 
 dom^ Matt. XXV. 34. and an Inheritance^ and that In- 
 corniptihle and Undefiled. i Pet. i. 4. and at other 
 Times it is faid to be Eternal Llfe.^ Matt. xxv. 46, 
 than vv^hich furely nothing can be more defirable. It 
 is to fee God the Great Author and Fountain of all 
 Happinefs and Perfedlion. Matt. v. 8. to live for 
 ever in His Prefence. Pfal. xvi. 11. Joh, xiv. 2^ 3. 
 to enjoy the BlelTed Converfation of Jefus Chrift our 
 Dear Saviour and Redeemer ; to have the delightful 
 Company of the Holy Angels^ and the Spirits of Jiift 
 Men made {I) P erf e^. Heb. xii. 22, ^c, and to be 
 Kings and Priefts to God for ever. Rev. i. 6. and to fay 
 no more. It is to be in a State of abfolute Eafe and 
 perfedt Freedom, wliere there Jhall he no more Sorrow, 
 7ior crying.^ nor pain., Rev, xxi. 4. and where we [hall 
 die no more., hit fhall he equal unto the Angels., and Jhall 
 he the Children of God., as heing the Children of the Re- 
 furreufion. Luke xx. 36. Now tho' thefe Defcriptions 
 of our future Happinefs do no doubt come vaflly 
 fhort of the Perfediion thereof ; yet they are Suffici- 
 ent to fnew, that it is infinitely beyond any Thing 
 
 which 
 
 Things here below, becaufe v/e know no better ; but I am apt 
 to think that if we knew what it was to bean Angelfor one Hour, 
 we fl-iculvi return to this World, tho* it were to fit on the brigh- 
 teil Throne in it, with vaftly more loathing and relu6lance, than 
 we would now defcend into a loathfome Dungeon or Sepulchre. 
 
 Mihtite Philofolher^ Vol. L p. 260, 261. 
 (I) O praclarum diem^ cum ad illud divimrum concilium ccetum- 
 que prcficifcar ; cumjue ex hac turba ■ (^ collwuigne dijctdam^ &c 
 Cic. de Senei'lute, ' , . 
 
Religious Obfervatlon 5/* /& Lord's Day. 261 
 
 Y?hich this World can afford. And by what we even 
 at prefent know of that Happinefs, and much more 
 by the Knowledge we ihall have thereof, when we 
 come to have the Enjoyment of it \ fwhich God in 
 His Mercy grant we all may) \ I don't know how 
 we fhall ever be reconciled to ourfelves for that mani- 
 feit Negled and Contempt v/hich v;e now exprefs 
 towards it : unlefs it may be fome Excuie to every one 
 of us to fay in that Cafe as St Faiil did in another, 
 when I was a Child I f pake as a Ch'ild^ I iinderfiood as a 
 Child, I thought as a Child, hit when I became a Man, I 
 put away childifh Things, i Cor. xiii. 11. 
 
 What is here obferved of the Happinefs of the 
 next Life, holds equally true of the Miferies thereof. 
 It is no Encouragement to bad Men, faith an Eminent 
 Writer, (m) " That the Miferies of the other World 
 '' are unknown : For it is known that God hath 
 " threatened very terrible Punifhments againil bad 
 *' Men •, and that what thefe Punifhments are, is un- 
 '' known, makes them a great deal more formidable. 
 *' For who knows the Power of God's Wrath ? Who 
 '' knows how miferable God can make bad Men r" 
 Since then the Things of the next Life, cannot have 
 a Commanding Force and Influence upon our Minds, 
 unlefs we are not only firmaly perfwaded of the Truth 
 of them, but alfo have a due Senfe and Apprehenfion 
 of the Nature and Importance of them \ we may 
 hence clearly fee the abfolute Neceffity of frequently 
 thinking and meditating upon them ; for by this 
 means only can we be in any due Meafure affe6led by 
 them. For. let Things be of never fo great Impor- 
 tance in themfelves, yet they will feem to be but of 
 litde Value and Efteem with us, if we do not employ 
 pur Thoughts and Minds about them. Tho' we do 
 jiot know the Nature of thinking, nor in what Man- 
 
 S 2 ner 
 
 {m) Sherlock oa Death, p, Tj^ 
 
262 A Dlfcourfe concerning the 
 
 ner Thoughts arife in our Minds •, yet this we all 
 fully know by Experience, n)iz. that the oftener we 
 think upon any Objedls, the oftener they come into 
 our Minds, and we are in a greater Meafure a[fe6led 
 by them. Whereas, when v/e negled: to think upon 
 them, we do as it were remove them at a Diftance from 
 us, and then like all other Things in that Condition, 
 they v/ill appear light and inconfiderable. If then we 
 frequently and ferioufly m.editate upon the Joys of Hea- 
 ven, they will as frequently come into our Minds, 
 and the oftener they come into our Minds, the more 
 v/e fnall be pleafed and delighted with them ; till at 
 length our Hearts and Affeftions will be entirely fet 
 upon them : And when once we have attained to this 
 Temper and Difpofition, v/e fhall foon defpife the 
 Temptations of worldly Riches and Pleafure -, and 
 fhall fay of the greateft Delights which this Life 
 affords, what the Apoille did of the Prefent Sufferings, 
 'v'l'z. they arc not worthy to he compared with the Glory 
 that JJoall be revealed in us. Rom.y'm. 18. And on the 
 other Side, if we would often employ our Thoughts 
 on the Punifliments of the next World, and leri- 
 oufly refle^l upon the aftonifliing Miferies of the 
 Damned ; they v/ould often arife in our Minds, and 
 would raife fach a prodigious Dread and Terrour 
 therein, as would fuHiciently outweigh the Force of 
 any Temporal Sufferings and Afflictions to which we 
 may be expofed. And we iliall think nothing in this 
 Life fo dreadful to us, as to fall into the Hands of the 
 Living God. Heb. x. 31. And as our Blefied Saviour 
 dire6ls us, we lliall not fear them that can kill 
 the Body^ and after that have 720 more thai they can do ; 
 but we we jJoall fear Him who after He hath killed^ hath 
 power to cajl into Hell. Luke xii. 4, 5. And thus much 
 may be fjfficient to fhew the abfolute Neceffity of a 
 frequent and ferious Meditation upon the Everlafting 
 Retributions in a future State •, in order to enable us to 
 overcome the Power of Temptation, and to live as 
 
 becometh 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 263 
 
 hecotneth the Gofpel of Cbrift, And that which wiJi 
 fully confirm us in the Beliel of this NecelTity -, is the 
 Confideration of the Reftlefs and Unwearied Endea- 
 vours of the Enemies of Religion in all Ages, to de- 
 ftroy and eradicate thefe Principles, or to weaken their 
 Force and Influence upon the Minds of Men. And 
 to rhis purpofe they have ufed feveral Methods, but I 
 fhail at prcfent mention only two which are of the 
 moil dargerous Confequence. The Firjl is. Their 
 ridiculing the Belief of Future Punifhments or at leaft 
 denying the Eternal Duration of them -, notwithftand- 
 ing that the Dodrine of Eternal PuniHiments is 
 not only plainly delivered in the Holy Scriptures, but 
 has alfo been held and maintained by many of the 
 beft Philofophers in the Heathen World ; as feveral of 
 our Learned Writers have clearly fhewn {n). This 
 was the great Aim and View of Epicurus and his 
 Followers, to remove the fear of Future Punifhments, 
 and particularly of the Eternity of them ; well know-, 
 ing, as Lucretius acknowledges {0) what a prodigious 
 Influence, the ftedfaft Belief" of that Dodrine muft 
 needs have upon the Minds of Men. And a late 
 noted Writer among ourfelves hath gone into the 
 fame Meafures ; endeavouring all that lies in him to 
 confute and overthrow the Belief of (p) it. And the 
 Author of the two Letters from a Deift to his Friend 
 (as an Eminent Writer hath lately obferved from (q) 
 them) gives this Account of himfelf in denying this 
 S 4 Doctrine 
 
 {n) Vid. Dr Clarke's Sermons at Boyle's Leflures, Part the II. 
 f rop. xiii. Sedl. 14. Minute Fhilofo. her Vol. II. p. 49. 
 
 {0) Nam ft certiim ji?:em ejfe viderent 
 "*, Mrumnarum Ho??iintSi aliqua ratiov.e valerent 
 
 Rel!igio?abus at Que minis oififtere vat urn : 
 Nunc ratio r.ulla eft rejlandii nulla facultast 
 Mternas quoniaju Pvsnas in morte timendum. 
 
 Luc ret* lib, U 
 (p) Chriftianily as old as the Creation, p. 42, 43. 
 (q) Scripture Vindicated Part I. Introd. p. 5, 6. 
 
264 ^ Dlfcourfe concerning the 
 
 Do<fbrlne, that he intends to " fave a Soul from the 
 *' Difmal Apprehenfions of Eternal Damnation ; or 
 " to relieve a Perfon from labouring under that 
 " Uneafinefs of Mind, which he is often under, when 
 *' Pleafure and Chriftianiiy come in Competition." And 
 it is well known, that the Doctrine of Everlafting Pu- 
 nifhm.ent3 is the great Point, at which all our Modern 
 Infidels are fo much offended ; and which they con- 
 flantly treat with the utmofb Contempt and Ridi- 
 cule. 
 
 Now it is not miy Defign at prefcnt to offer any 
 Arguments in Vindication of this Do6lrine ; for this 
 hath been fufiiciently confirmed and defended by fe- 
 veral of our Learned (r) Writers, from whom any one 
 that wants it, may receive compleatSatisfaftion in that 
 Particular. All that I ihall obferve at prefent is, that 
 it muft be of the moil mifchievous Confequence to the 
 Souls of Men ; to endeavour to remove the Belief 
 and Apprehenfion of Eternal Punifhment out of their 
 Minds ; fmce as hath been already fhewn, it is im- 
 pofTible upon any other Principle to prevail with the 
 Generality of Mankind to forl^ike their Sins, and to 
 attain to the Habits of Righteoufnefs and Virtue. And 
 if Men who are educated in theBelief of this Dodlrine, 
 and make no Doubt of the Truth of it, do yet find 
 it fo hard to refifl: Temptations, and are fo frequently 
 drawn away by the Pleafures of Sin ; what a Deluge 
 of Profmenefs, Iniquity, and Debauchery would abound 
 . in the World ; if Men were entirely, or in a great 
 meafure, freed and difcharged from this Apprehen- 
 fion } I am fenfible of indeed, and acknowledge 
 
 what 
 
 (r) Seepi2rticularly Dr Clarke in the Place laft cited. 'OrNicholh^& 
 Conference Part III. p. 304, &c. Bilhop Burnet's XXXIX Ar. 
 tides, p 29, 30. Dr Scott's Chrillian Life, 8vo. Vol. V. p. 91, 
 &c. Sir William Dawes'i, Fourth and Sixth Sermons on Hell Tor- 
 ments, in which Places there are many folid and judicious Things 
 obferved upon this Point. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 265 
 
 what the Roman Orator afTerts, (and it will in great 
 nieafure hold in the Cafe we are upon, as well as in 
 that to which he applies it, viz,) that Shame and Inge- 
 Tiuity have a greater Effedl and Rellraint upon good 
 Men, than Fear {s). But yet this will be but of little 
 Service towards reforming the World *, fince the 
 greateft Part of Mankind are not good. And there- 
 fore what Arijiotle ("whom a late Eminent Writer [t) 
 juilly ftyles the inojl accurate Ohferver of all Mankind) 
 hath laid down, is true, and to be depended upon ; 
 viz. that the Generality of Mankind are perfwaded to 
 their Duty •, not fo much from the Confiderations of 
 Shame and Difgrace, as of Fear and Punifhment {u}. 
 And particularly the Argument drawn from the Eter- 
 nal Punifhments of another W^orld, is, to ufe the 
 Words of an Excellent Prelate (;c), that " which taketh 
 " the faftefi and furefl hold upon Human Nature ; 
 *' and will many Times move and affed:,when no other 
 " Confiderations will work upon us. Many Men 
 " that could not be wrought upon by the Love of God 
 '' and Goodnefs, nor by the Hopes of Everlafting 
 *' Happinefs •, have been affrighted and reclaimed 
 *' from an Evil Courfe by the Fear of Hell and 
 " Damnation, and the Awe of a Judgment to come. 
 " To think of lying under the terrible Wrath and 
 " Difpleafure of Almighty God to Eternal Ages, 
 " of being extremely and for ever Mifefable, without 
 *' Intermiffion and without Endj muft needs be a 
 
 difmal 
 
 {s) Validius bonos inhibet Pudor, quam Mctus. ^dntiliau^ 
 In ft it ut' Orator, lib, ix. cap it. 
 
 {t) Rev el at io7i Examined, Sec. Vol, I. p 103. 
 
 q^' (pojjhcov J^ict ro cuc^e)v etj<K(i ^t'l T:tV Tl^coeisLi* Arijlot, Ethic, 
 ad Nicom. lib x. cap.'x. Vid. loc. 
 
 {x) TillotfonYoX. Ill, p. 352. See alfo, p. 642, in which 
 there are many excellent Things faid upon this Head. 
 
266 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 *' difmal Confideration to any Man, that can think 
 " and confider : For who knoweth the Power of God^s 
 *' Anger ? who can dwell with everlafting Burnings ? ^^ 
 And that this is a true Judgment upon the Point is 
 very clear from St PauU who obferves that the Go/pel 
 of Chrift is the Power of God unto Salvation ; hecaufe 
 therein the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven againft 
 all Ungodlinefs and Unrighteoufnefs of Men ( y), Rom. i. 
 1 6, 1 8. And therefore, v/hen our Modern Infidels 
 endeavour to difprove, and much more when they ri- 
 dicule the Dod:rine of Eternal Punifhments ; this is 
 not to confult the Comfort and Happinefs of Manki-.d, 
 as they vainly pretend ; but (to ufe the Words of a 
 very Learned (z) Writer) '' It is to eafe every Liber- 
 *' tine, if poffible, of his juft and well grounded 
 *-*- Fears, and to fteel his Heart againft a Judgment to 
 '^ come. It is not to fecure him againft the Danger of 
 " Hell, ("that is impradiicable) but it is to tell him 
 *' how to fence with Subtilties or Sophiftries againft 
 *' the Bifmal Apprehenfeons of it. Not to preferve him 
 " from it, but to lead him blindfold into it." But, 
 
 Secondly., Another Ardfice which the Adverfaries of 
 Religion frequently make Ufe of in order to deftroy 
 or weaken the Force of Future Confiderations ; is their 
 recommending the Obfervation of Virtue from the 
 Beauty (a) thereof, and the prefcnt Rewards which are 
 annexed to the Pra6tice of it. This was the Opinion 
 of the Stoics and Epicureans ; and this they carried fo 
 far, as to afiert thatVirtue was fufficient to the Happi- 
 nefs of Men under the greateft Afflictions and Sulier- 
 ings (h). But the Stoics did not hereby defign to dis- 
 parage 
 
 (y) See Dr Fiddes\ Sermons, Vol. II. p. i6i, 162, 
 
 (2:) Scripture V'indicated, Part I, Inrrod. p. 6. 
 
 \a) See this Notion ingenioufly defcribed by the Freethinker in 
 Minute Fhilofopher, Vol. 1. p. 161, 162. 
 
 {b) Safiens^ injuit Epicurus, femper beatus eji^ & vel imlufus in 
 Pha/aridis Tauro banc vocem emittet. juave eft ^ ?2ihil euro, 
 Laclant. Inftitut. lib. iii. cap. xxvii. See aUo, Woolajion^ Reli- 
 gion of Nature, p. 181. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the hovd'sDzy, 267 
 
 parage and weaken the Caufe of Virtue, as the EpL 
 cureans did ; who came into this Notion only by way 
 of Refuge, and to fcreen themfelves from the popular 
 Odium and Cenfure •, that when they had call off the 
 Belief of a Providence and a Future State, they had 
 left no proper Incitement to Religion and Virtue (c). 
 For dio' the Stoics do indeed fometimes fpeak doubt- 
 fully of a Future State ; (as the beft of the Philofo- 
 phers likewife did j and tho' as an Excellent Writer [d) 
 truly obferves, " their Style was often high above 
 " Truth and Nature -, yet it cannot be faid that tliey 
 *' forefolved every Motive to a Virtuous Life into the 
 " fole Beauty of Virtue, as to endeavour to deflroy 
 *' the Belief of the Immortality of the Soul, and 
 " a diftributive Providence ; " fince thefe two 
 Points, as this Author takes Notice, are exprefsly aflert- 
 ed by them in their Writings. But the Defign of our 
 Modern Inf.dels in fo earneftly recommending the 
 Praftice of Virtue from the forementioned Principles, 
 is the fame with that of the Antient Epicureans ; as is 
 evident from their urging them feparately from, and 
 exclufive of Future Retributions, And for this Rea- 
 fon it is that they are fo fond of them (<?). But now, 
 allowing as much Beauty as you pleafe to the Pradice 
 of Virtue (as it is certain, that many exceUent Things 
 have been (aid by fome of the beft Philofophers upon 
 this (f) Head) and fuppofing that in all Cafes of Life 
 
 it 
 
 (r) 5^^ Scripture Vindicated, Part If. p. 132, 153. 
 
 (d) Minute Philofopher, Vol. I. p, ig,, 196. 
 
 (e) See Dr Water! and's Second Charge to the Clergy, p. 45 to 
 45, Scripture Vindicated, Part IL p. 133, 134, 
 
 (f) ''Au]m fjSv %v M ^mcuc.(TJvn cl^dn /xV ^ nKe^A. — • x^ 
 ^■^"'Eot€P©-;«3-' '£«©- iT>:> ^,vjfj.cL7oi- Ariftot. Ethic, ad Nicom. 
 lib. V. cap. iii. Formam quidem ipfam .—^ <& tanqudjnfAciem hovejii 
 vides ; quA ft oculis cerneretur^ miraUles amores^ ut ait FlatOy 
 ixcitaret fdftentia. Cicero de Officiis, lib. i. in principio. 
 
268 A Dtfcourfe concerning the 
 
 it was of itfelf fufficient to it's own Reward ; yet 
 forely it muft give a great additional Force to the O- 
 bligation of it ; that the blefied Effedls thereof 
 Ihould extend to Futurity ; and fhould not only 
 make us happy in this Ihort Life, but alfo for 
 ever fo, in that which is to come ig) : unlefs we could 
 be fo abfurd as to think, that " the Charms of Virtue 
 ^' w^ould diminiih, as her Dowry increafeth," as an 
 Eminent Writer beautifully exprefies it [h) •, or that 
 we could be fo ftupid as to imagine, that there is no 
 Future State after this I.jfe (i) , or if there be \ that 
 we could be more ftupid, in defpifmg the glorious 
 Thought of being made happy for ever {k). But the 
 Principle itfelf is falfe and deceitful. Fortho', there 
 is no doubt, a great Beauty in Virtue, and much Plea- 
 fure and Delight does often arife from the Pradiice of 
 it, as the Holy Scriptures teftify in feveral Places (/) ; 
 and tho' there is no queftion but that upon the whole^ 
 it is much better for a Man even in this World, to ad 
 Virtuoufly than Wickedly •, yet on the other fide, it is 
 very certain, that Virtue is not fufficient to it's own 
 
 Reward 
 
 [g) Etfi fatis in ipfa Confcientia pulcherrimi fa^li fruftus crat, 
 tamen Mortal! Immortalitatem non arbitror contemnendam. Cic, 
 Philip. Or at. 2. 
 
 (h) Minute Philofopher, Vol. I. p. 187. 
 
 (/) Praeclarum nefcio quid adepti funt, qui didicerunt fe, cum 
 tempus Mortis veniflet, totos efTe perituros. 1 Quid 
 
 habet ifla res aut laetabile aut gloriofum ? Cic. Tiifc. ^afi. lib. %. 
 
 Qui vero praeter Tellurem hodiernam (Atomum, fi parvitatem 
 fpeftes, fi fpurcitiam, fierquilinium) nullum agnofcuntmundum ha- 
 bitabilem, nullos incolas : nee quicquam futarum extindla hac vita : 
 ns illi Majeftati Divinrc graviter officiunt ; & Deum fibi fingunt 
 homine magnanimo minorem. Burnet de Statu Mortuorum 1^ 
 Rejurgentium. cap.ii. p. 5. 
 
 '^(k) Sed Nemo me, dc Immortalitate depellet. Cic. ibid. Quod fi 
 in hoc erro, quodAnimos hominum immortales elTecredam, liben- 
 ter erro ; nee mini hunc errorem, quo deledor, dum vivoj ex- 
 torqueri vojo. Idem de Sene£iute ad Jin. 
 
 (J)S££Prcv. Hi, 17. Jfa, xxxii, 17, i Tim. ;V. 8. 
 
Religiom Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 269 
 
 Reward (m), and that however the prefent Delightful- 
 nefs and Pleafure of fome Virtues may engage Men 
 to the Obfervation of them ; yet they will never be 
 induced from this Principle to pra6life the fevere and 
 painful Duties of Religion ; nor will they difcover fo 
 much Beauty and Pleafure in Virtue, as upon that 
 Account to think themfelves happy in a State of great 
 Poverty (;/J and Hardfhip, and much lefs to be wil- 
 ling to fuffer Perfecution for God's Sake ; unlefs the 
 Confiderations of a Future State are taken in [0), Who- 
 
 ever 
 
 (jji) • Virtutem quis enim amp]e£litur ipfam, 
 
 Prsemia fi tollas. ^Juvenal. Sat, X. 
 
 Nee facile invenias Multis e Millibus unum, 
 
 Virtutem pretium qui putet efle fui. 
 Ipfe decor redli, fafti fi prasmia defint, 
 
 Non movet, & gratis pcenitet efle probum. 
 
 Ovid, de PoTito^ lib. ii. Epiji. 3 
 
 Quis eft vel tarri ineptus vel tarn otiofus, ut aggrediatur aliquid 
 facere fruftra* ex quo nullam utilitatem, nullum commodum fpereC. 
 La^ant. Infiitut. lib. vii, cap. iv. 
 
 Ariftot. apud.Diog. Laert. in Vita Arillotelis. 
 
 (0) Altho' it be true, that as Things now ftand, and as the 
 Nature of Man is framed, good Men do find a ftrange kind of in- 
 ward Pleafure and fecret Satisfaction of Mind in the Difcharge of 
 their Duty, and in doing what is Virtuous ; yet every Man that 
 looks into himfelf and confults his own Breaft ; will find that this 
 Delight and Contentment, fprings chiefly from the Hopes which 
 Men conceive, that a Holy and Virtuous Life fliall not be unre- 
 warded : and without thefe Hopes, Virtue is but a dead and empty 
 Name ; and notwithftanding the Reafonablenefs of Virtuous Ac- 
 tions compared with the contrary of them, yet wlien Virtue came 
 to be encumbred with Difficulties, and to be attended with fuch 
 SuiFerings and Inconveniencies, as were grievous and intolerable to 
 Human Nature, then it would appear unreafonable to chufe that 
 for a Happinefs, which would rob a Man of all the Felicity of his 
 iiife. For t)iQ' <^ Man \v?rQ never fg «vagh in Love with Virtire 
 
 fcr 
 
2yO A Dlfcourfe concerning tht 
 
 ever therefore recommends the Praftice of Virtue frorrl 
 the Beauty and prefent Pleafure thereof, in exclufion 
 of the Rewards which God hath prepared for good 
 Men in the next Life ; inilead of ferving and promo- 
 ting the Caufe of Virtue, he fecretly undermines and 
 betrays it. And as an Eminent Writer well obferves 
 (^J, " He who fees not that the deftroying the Prin- 
 *' ciples of good Actions, muft deftroy good Adlions, 
 *' fees nothing : and he who feeing this, fhall yet per- 
 *' fill to do it, if he be not wicked, who is ?" And 
 -that this Thought is not peculiar to the Chrijiian Priells, 
 as fbme may imagine, I Ihall add an Excellent Obfer- 
 vation which the fame Writer makes from the Roman 
 Authors-, VIZ, " That they themfelves often fuggefl, 
 '' that even their Virtues and magnanimous Adions 
 *' rofe and fell with a Senfe of Providence and a 
 *' Future State {q) : " fo Necefiary have the San6tions 
 of the next Life been ever thought to the Eftablifhment 
 of Virtue. And how dangerous and deftruCiive to 
 the Caufe of Piety and Virtue the other Principle we 
 have been fpeaking of is, many Learned Men have 
 particularly obferved in the Cafe of the Sadducees ; 
 upon which Pcint I will beg Leave to infert a moft 
 excellent Paifage from an Eminent Prelate (r), of our 
 Church. " The Confequence of this dry Do6trine 
 *' does fufficiently appear In tlie Scfuof the Sadducees^ 
 *' which had it's Rife fiom this Principle of Sadocxho. 
 *' Mailer of the Sec> •, v/ho out of an indifcreet Zeal 
 *' to teach fomething above others, and indeed above 
 
 the 
 
 for the Native Beauty and Comelinftrq of it, yet it would flrangely 
 cool his Affeilion to it, to coniider that he ihould be undone by the 
 Match ; that when he had jt, he mull go a begging with it, and 
 be in danger of Death, for the Sake of tnat which he had chofen 
 for the Fehcity of his Life. Tillotfon Vol. III. p. I2I. 
 
 {p) Minute Philofopher, Vol. i. p. 273, 274. 
 
 (^) Idein ibid. ^,193. 
 
 (r)Ti lotion, Vol III. p. 121. See alfo, Pn^^//;t's Connexion, 
 *vo. Vol.111. P- 95« ^ttb Anno. ante Chrijhm^ 263, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 271 
 
 the Pitch of Human Nature, inculcated this Doc- 
 trine upon his Scholars, that Religion and Virtue 
 ought to be loved for themfelves, tho' there were 
 no Reward of Virtue to be hoped, nor Punifhment 
 of Vice to be feared in another World ; from 
 v/hich his Difciples inferred that it was not neceffary 
 to Religion to believe a Future Slate, and in pro- 
 cefs of Time peremptorily maintained that there 
 was no Life after this. For they did not only deny 
 the Refurre6lion of the Body, but as St Paulttlh 
 us, they faid, that there was neither Angel nor Spirit ; 
 that is, they denied that there was any Thing of an 
 Immortal Nature, that did remain after this Life. 
 And what the Confequence of this was, we may 
 fee in the Chara6ler which Jofephus gives of that 
 Sedt ; for he tells us that the Commonalty of the 
 Jews v/ere of the Se(5l of the Pharijees^ but moil of 
 the great and rich Men were Sadducees ; which plain- 
 ly fliews that this dry Speculation of loving Reli- 
 gion and Virtue for themfelves, without any Expec- 
 tation of Future Rewards, did end in their giving 
 over all ferious purfuit of Religion ; and becaufe 
 they hoped for nothmg after this Life, therefore 
 layiiig afide all other Confiderations, they applied 
 themfelves to the prefent Bufinefs of this Life, and 
 grafped as much of the prefent Enjoyments of it's 
 Power and Riches, as they could by any means at- 
 tain to." I fhall oiily add upon this Head, that 
 it is fo far from b^ing a mean and fervile Thing to adt 
 ReligiouQy, to avoid being pimijhed or in Hopes to he 
 rewarded hereafter (s)y as fome Writers have fug- 
 
 geiled 
 
 (s) However Spirits of fuperficial Greatnefs may difdain at firft 
 fight to do any Tiling but from a noble Impulfe in thsmlelves, 
 without any future Rewards in ihis cr another Being ; upon ftritler 
 Enquiry they wilJ find, that to ad Worthily and expeft to be re- 
 w. rded only in another VVorld, is as Heroic a Pitch of Virtue as 
 fcuman Nature can arrive at, Speilator N° 356, See alfo an excel- 
 
 knc 
 
272 A Difcourfe concemijig the 
 
 gefted {t)\ that we find the very befl of Men in all Ages 
 of the World, have been determined to the Pradice of 
 Virtue from thofe very Confiderations. Innumerable 
 Inftances might be given of this, both from the Scrip- 
 ture and Ancient Hiftory •, but I fhall mention only 
 two or three which are very remarkable. Thus the 
 great Apoftle of the Gentiles gives this Account of 
 himfelf. i Cor. ix. ult. I keep under my Body., and bring it 
 into Suhjeufion., left that by any Means when I have preach- 
 ed to others y Imyfelf Jhouldbe a caft a-way f^).And what 
 Effect the glorious Reward of Eternal Life had upon 
 him, he tells us in another Place, I have fought a good 
 Fight., 1 have finijhed my Courfe., I have kept the Faith ; 
 henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteouf- 
 iiefsy &c. 2 'Ti7n. iv. 7, 8. And we may obferve of 
 Mofes and Chrift., the two beft Men and greateit Law- 
 givers that ever lived •, in how great a Meafure, they 
 were moved and influenced by the fame Principle. 
 Thus St Paul tells us of Mofes., that he refufed to be cal- 
 led the Son of Pharaoh'i Daughter ; choofing rather to 
 fuffer Affliction with the People of God., than to enjoy the 
 Pleafurcs of Sin for a Seafon., &:c. For he had refpeH 
 unto the Recompenfe of the Rezmrd. Heb. xi. 24, 25, 
 26. And the fame Apoftle obferves of Chrift., that 
 He endured the Crofs and defpifed the Shame ^ for the Joy 
 that was fet before Him. Heb. xii. 2. 
 
 And thus much concerning thofe Artifices and 
 Methods ; which the Adverfaries of our Faith make 
 \J^Q of, in order to deftroy and weaken the Force of 
 Religious Principles : the great Danger and Deceitful- 
 
 nefs 
 
 lent Pafiage to this Purpofe, in Dr Scott's Chrijiian Life, Sz/o. Vol. 
 IL chap. -vi. p. 334. And Dr Littleton s Senno}:s, Vol. L Sermon 
 the SecorJy in vvhicii there are ieveral very ingenious Obfervations 
 on this Head. 
 
 {t) See Chriftianity as old as the Creation, p. 367. 
 
 {uyASoyj.-..:o^ -j^ucoy-cfA. Ahjiciar & damner tanquam reprobus 
 five falute indignus. Eiliusinloc. /gtenium d.T/?:ncry at^ue^ ita 
 reprobui ejfs declarer. Pifcat, in loc. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 273 
 
 nefs of which, does more fully confirm the NecefTity 
 of fixing thofe Principles iledfaftly in our Minds, by 
 ferious and frequent Meditation. 
 
 What has been laid down upon this Head, as evi- 
 dent from Reafon and the Nature of Things, every 
 Perfon will find to be true and certain from his own 
 Experience. Let any Man fay, whether, when he 
 hath retired for a while from the Bufinefs and Diver- 
 fions of this World, and fpent fome confiderable 
 Time in the Study of the Scriptures and other good 
 Books, and in a ferious Meditation upon the great 
 Points of Religion •, he has not a quite different Senfe 
 and Notion of Matters, and a much greater Tafte and 
 Relilli of Divine Things, than he had before ; and 
 whether, the more he thinks upon the Joys of Hea- 
 ven ; they do not gain the more upon his Heart and 
 Aff*ed:ions, and render him more indifferent and un- 
 concerned for the Things of this Life. And on the 
 contrary, when he has employed litde or no Time in 
 thefe Exercifes, but hath applied himfelf wholly to 
 the Bufinefifes and Pleafures of this World, and to the 
 Entertainments and Diverfions of Company •, whether 
 he does not foon find the Heavenly and Divine Life 
 decay and languifh, and his Affeftion for Spiritual 
 Things abate and decreafe in his Mind, and that the 
 Temptations of Riches and Worldly Pleafures, gain 
 die greater Power and Dominion over him. And 
 what may eafily be obferved of Men in general ; we 
 find more particularly verified in the Cafe of fuch 
 Perfons, who by the Mercy of God have been re- 
 covered from a dangerous Sicknefs, or fome Extraor- 
 dinary Calamity and AfHi6lion. Such Perfons are 
 often by this Means brought to Repentance, and to 
 a perfed Change and Reformation in their Manners. 
 Now this does not happen becaufe they were Sick or 
 Affiided -, for that rather dillibles Men for Religious 
 Exercifes, than contributes any thing to the Perfor- 
 mance of thexB. But it is becaufe Sicknefs and Af- 
 
 T ftidion 
 
274 ^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 fli6llon bring Men to Conftderation •, and Confide- 
 ration makes the Things of another Life prefent to their 
 Minds, and thereby gives them their due Force and 
 Influence upon their Affe6tions. The Primitive 
 Chrtftians are likev/ife a Notorious and Memorable 
 Inftance of this great Truth. For during the three 
 firft Centuries, whilftthey chiefly employed their TimiC 
 in reading the Holy Scriptures, and in meditating 
 upon Divine Things, and met together in private Af- 
 femblies, not only for the Performance of Religious 
 Offices, but alfo for the better Inftrudion and Con- 
 firmation of each other in the Chrifttan Faith {x) •, we 
 find that they arrived to fuch an eminent Degree of 
 Piety and Virtue, as hath been the Wonder and Ad- 
 miration of all fucceeding Ages» And fo great 
 was their Love of God and their Affedion for Hea- 
 venly Things, that the utmoft Rage and Fury of 
 Men and Devils under the Ten Perfecutions could 
 not draw them from their Integrity •, but they patiently 
 fobmitted to the moll cruel Deaths and InexprefTible 
 Sufferings with the moil remarkable Courage and 
 Conftancy, and that in iijch great Numbers of all 
 Ages and both Sexes ; that as a Learned Prelate truly 
 (y) obferves, " We do not find in all Ages of the 
 *' World, fo many Inflancesof Patience and conflant 
 " Suffering for Religion, as happened even in the firfl: 
 *' Age after Chrift.*' But when Chrijlianity was taken 
 into the Protection of the State, and it became the 
 Temporal Interefl of Men, to embrace the Gofpel, and 
 the Riches and Honours of this World flowed into 
 the Church •, Chriftians foon began to fet their Hearts 
 and Affedions upon them. And then, as by this means 
 they negleCled to read the Scriptures and to meditate 
 upon Divine Things v the Cafe was quite othcrwife 
 
 with 
 
 {x) Vid. Plln. lib. X. Rpift. 97. 
 ly)TiIlstfQn» YqI HI. p. I22'. 
 
Religious Obferoation of the Lord's Day. 275 
 
 with them, than it had been with the Chrifiians of the 
 Three Former Ages, and they foon degenerated from 
 their Piety and Perfedlion. This the Writers of the 
 Fourth Age frequently complain of •, and particularly 
 St Chryfoftom mentions it in feveral Places of his Ho- 
 milies, and afcribes it plainly to their negle6t of read- 
 ing the Holy Scriptures and of Meditating upon 
 Divine Things {z) ; for which he tells them he knew 
 no other Reafon 5 but that their Hearts were too 
 much fet upon this World, and they could not relifli 
 the Things of God. And another Eminent Writer 
 who flourilhed about Fifty Years after him, complains 
 heavily upon this Occafion -, and obferves that the 
 greateft Part of Chriftians in his Time, were funk into 
 the very loweft Degree of Corruption, and that they 
 were grown worfe and more wicked than the worft of 
 Heathens (^), and Barbarians. All which is a clear Proof 
 and Demonftration of the Point we are now upon, 
 viz, that a ferious and frequent Meditation upon 
 Divine Things, is abfolutely neceflary to the very Be- 
 ing of Religion. And thus I have finilhed all that 
 I propofed to confider, upon this great Subjed of 
 Divine Meditation. It would be eafy to add In- 
 T 2 numerable 
 
 (z) See farticularlh his fifth Homily in Matt. . 
 
 (a) Ipfa Dei Ecclefia, qujE in omnibus debet elTe placatrix Dei^ 
 quid eft aliud quam exacerbatrix Dei, aut practer pauciffimos quof- 
 dam qui mala fugiunt, quid eft aliud pene omnis ccetus Chriftiano- 
 rum quam fentina vitidrum ? Quotum enim quemque invenies iri 
 Eccleiia non aut ebriofum aut helluonem, aut adulterum, aut for- 
 nicate rem, aut raptorem, aut ganeonem, aut latronemi aut homi- 
 cidam ? Et quod his omnibus pejus eft, prope haec cunfta fine 
 fine. Sahian. de G'uberriatione Dei lib. Hi. p. 87 Ubi enim, 
 aut in quibus funt, nifi in Romanis tantum hxc mala ? Quoruni 
 Injuftitia tanta, nifi noftra f Friinci enim hoc fcelus nefciunt, Hun- 
 hi ab his fceleribus immUnes funt. Nihil horum eft apud Vanda- 
 los, nihil horum apud Gothos, Tarn longe enim eft, ut hsec inter 
 Gothds barbari tolerent, ut ne R.dmani quidem qui inter eos viviiht^ 
 irta patiantur. Idem lib. v. p. 168., The fdme dlfo ihii Auihoic 
 -Jbetvs more largely in/everulo f her Phtfs ^ fhi^e Bi^kn 
 
276 ADifcotirfe concerning the 
 
 numerable Pailages out of our moft Learned Writers, 
 in which they manifeft the fame Senfe and Judgment 
 of this Matter. But that I may not be tedious to the 
 Reader, I Ihall at prefent produce only Two or Three 
 from very Eminent and Celebrated Divines. The 
 Firil Teilimony is that of the Learned Bifhop Alter- 
 lury^ whofe Words are thefe. " We are prone by 
 *' Nature to engage our felves in too clofe and ftri6t 
 '' an Acquaintance with the Things of this World ; 
 " v/hich immediately and flrongly flrike our Senfes •, 
 *' with the Bufinefs, the Pleafures, and the Amufe- 
 " ments of it ; we give ourfelves up too greedily 
 " to the Purfuit, and im.merfe ourfelves too deeply 
 ''- in the Enjoyment of them ; and contrad at laft 
 *' fuch an Intim.acy and Familiarity with them, as 
 *' makes it difficult and irkfome for us to call off 
 " our Minds to a better Employment, and to think 
 " intenfely on any Thing befides them. To check 
 *' and corredl this ill Tendency, it is requifite that 
 " we fliould acquaint ourfelves with God, that we 
 " Ihould frequendy difengage our Hearts from 
 *' Earthly Purfuits, and fix them on Divine Things \ 
 " that we fiiould apply ourfelves to ftudy the Bleffed 
 '' Nature and Perfe6lions of God, and to procure 
 " lively and vigorous ImprefTions of His Perpetual 
 *•' Prefence with us, and Infpedion over us ; that 
 '' we fhould contemplate earneilly and reverendy 
 '' the Works of Nature and Grace, by which He 
 '' manifefts Himfelf to us ♦, the infcrutable Ways 
 *' of His Providence, and all the Wonderful Me- 
 '' thods of His Dealings with the Sons of Men ; 
 " that we fhould inure ourfelves to fuch Thoughts, 
 " till they have worked up our Souls into that 
 " filial Awe and Love of Him, that humble and 
 " implicit Dependance upon Him, which is the 
 " Root and Principle of all manner of Goodnefs j 
 " till we have made our Duty in this refpedt, 
 *' our Pleallire, and can addrefs our felves to Him 
 
 ^•^ on 
 
ReUgious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 277 
 
 " on all Occaflons with Readlnefs and Delight ; 
 *' imparting all our Wants and expreffing all our 
 " Fears, and opening all our Griefs to Him, with that 
 '' holy Freedom and Confidence, to which the Saints 
 *' and true Servants of God are entitled, having re- 
 *' ceived the Spirit of Adoption, whereby they cry Abba 
 " Father. In this Senfe ought we to acquaint ourfelves 
 *' with God, to fet Him always before us, asthe Scrip- 
 *^ ture eifewhere fpeaks, to draw near to Him, and to 
 ." delight in approaching (b) Him." 
 
 The other Teftimony which I fhall mention upon 
 this Occafion, is that of the Learned Dr Samuel Clarke, 
 who expreffes himfelf very judicioufly in the Words 
 following, " Seeking any Thing heartily and effec- 
 " tually implies that we fix our Attention continually 
 " L e, habitually upon it. Tis not fuflicient that our 
 *' Judgment be convinced, of the Importance and 
 *' NecefTity of Religion, unlefs our Paffions and Af- 
 *' fedions likewife be in fome Meafure interefted ; 
 " nor is \t enough that our Affedlions be moved 
 ''« once or feldom, but our Zeal muft be renewed by 
 " frequent Meditation. We m.uft^w^ earneft heed to 
 " the things which we have heard, left at any 'Time we 
 "-'Jhould let them flip. Heb. ii. i. For as in Matters 
 « of Senfe, Objefts at a Diftance appear linall and 
 " imperfed, and nothing but Reafoning and^ Judg- 
 *^ ment can corred the Errours and Deceptions of 
 *^ our Sight i fo in Matters of Religion and of 
 *« Spiritual Concern, nothing but frequent Confidera^ 
 " tion and earnell and feriom Meditation can repre- 
 '^ fent thofe Things as prefent to us, fo as to cauie 
 " them to make vigorous and lailing Impredions 
 " upon our Minds, which yet we all knew cannot be 
 " very far diftant from (c) us." To which I fhall 
 
 T 3 add 
 
 (b) BiQiop Atterhurfs Sermons, Vol. \L p. 1S7, 188, 189. 
 
 (c) -DvClarkis Sermons, Vol. II. p. 37 •• 37^. .5^^ ^^(^ ^ 
 Very Excellent PaiTage to the fame purpoie m his Praaical Ellays 
 
 Baptifm, &c, BPy II, ckap. it, §. 20, 21, 22. 
 
2yS A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 add thofe Excellent Words (J) of Archbifhop Tillotfon^ 
 viz. '' Becaufe the Matters of Faith do not fall under 
 our Senfes, and the Things of another World are 
 invifible, and at a Dillance, and confequently not 
 fo apt to affedt us, as prefent and fenfible Things ; 
 we fhould take the more pains with our felves, that 
 by revolving frequendy in our Minds, the Thoughts 
 of God, and reprefenting to our felves the Happi- 
 nefs and Mifery of another World, they may have 
 as great an EfFe6l upon us, as if they were prefent 
 to us, and we faw them with our bodily Eyes." 
 
 (4) Works Vol. III. p. 467. 
 
 C H A E 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 279 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Concerning the Duty of SELF-EXAMI- 
 NATION. 
 
 H A T a due and careful Exami- 
 nation of ourfelves is one neceffary 
 Means of Religion, is fo frequently 
 afferted in the Holy Scriptures; that 
 he muft be an utter Stranger to the 
 Sacred Writings, who is ignorant of 
 this Point. I fhall therefore at pre- 
 fent only obferve the NeceiTity thereof upon thefe two 
 Accounts. Firft^ In order to bring us to a true Re- 
 pentance of our Sins. And Secondly^ That we may 
 thereby be enabled to underftand the true State and 
 Condition of our Souls. And, 
 
 Firfi thefi^ A due and careful Examination of our 
 felves, is neceiTary to bring us to a true Repentance of 
 our Sins. This is very clear and evident at firll fight ; 
 for unlefs we know our Sins, it is impoflible to repent 
 of them •, and we cannot know what our Sins and Of- 
 fences have been, if we do not carefully examine our 
 Hearts about them. If then we would deiire to repent 
 of our Sins, in order to obtain the Pardon of them, 
 we muft earneftly hetb'mk cur felves^ i Kings Yin. 47. 
 and fay with holy Job^ Hew 7?iany arc cur Iniquities and 
 
 T 4 mir 
 
28o A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 our Sins ? And pray with him to God, that He would 
 make us know our 'Tranf^rejfion and our Sin. Job xiii. 
 23. JVe muft fearch and try our Ways, that we 7nay 
 turn again unto the Lord. Lam, ill. -40. We muft 
 enter into our Chamber, and/hut our Boors about us. Ifa. 
 xxvi. 20.- We muft commune with our own Hearts^ 
 Pfahn iv. 4. And let our Spirits make diligent fearcby 
 Pfalm Ixxvii. 6. that we may find out all our Iniquities, 
 whereby we have finned, and whereby we have tranfgref- 
 fed againfl; the Lord. Jer. xxxiii. 8. And this Exa- 
 mination of our felves, in order to the Difcovery and 
 Repentance of our Sins, is fo very ufeful and necef- 
 fary •, that upon this Account we ftiould not let a Day 
 pais, without difcharging this Duty in fome Meafure. 
 And this is what we are frequently exhorted to, by the 
 beft Writers both Pagan and Chriftian. Thus Pytha- 
 goras (or whoever elfe was the Author of thofe Golden 
 Verfes afcribed to him) requires of his Difciples, that 
 they fhould every Night before they went to deep, 
 thrice recoiled every fingle A6lion of the Day paft ; 
 and enquire of themfelves, what Good they had done 
 that Day, or had neglected to do. Run over thefe 
 Things, faith he, in your Minds, beginning from the 
 firft ; and then if you have done Evil, be forry for 
 it, if Good rejoice {e). The like Pradtice is alfo fre- 
 quently recommended to us by Seneca, EpEletus, Mar- 
 cus Antoninus, and others of the beft Philofophers. 
 And the PafTages which might be produced out of 
 Chriftian Writers, which enjoin the fame, as neceftary 
 and proper for all Chriftians, are innumerable (/). We 
 
 Ihould 
 
 (e) MwJ^' v'-^pov fj.ciKAKoi(7iv Itt" %iJLiMA(;t, &c, Pythag. Aur. 
 Carm. Vid. Hierocl. in loc. p. 206, 207. 
 
 {/) Deinde completQ die, antequam cubile fuum dormiturus 
 afcendat, difcutiat Confclentiam fuam, & rationem a feipfo petat, 
 an Deum ofFenderit, cogitatione, locutione, opere, defiderio : & 
 fi ofFenfionem aliquam Dei, praefertim lethalem invenerit ; non 
 audeat oculos claudere ad nofturnam quietem captandani, nifi Deo 
 
 primum 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 281 
 
 fhould therefore duly and carefully exercife our felves? 
 in this great Duty ; and by this Means we fhall attain 
 to a perfed and exa6t Knowledge of all our Sins, and 
 ihall be aflured, that no Sin, which we have com- 
 mitted, Ihall, unrepented of, rife up in Judgment a- 
 gainft us at the Great Day of Accounts. And More- 
 over by this careful and frequent Examination of our 
 felves, we fhall reap this further Advantage •, viz. that 
 we fhall not only hereby be enabled to repent of our Sins, 
 but fhall alfo be more effedlually preferved and re- 
 flrained from the CommifTion of Sin for the future. 
 For we cannot call to Mind thofe Sins which we have 
 truly repented of, without being made fenfible at the 
 fame Time of the great Uneafinefs and Torment of a 
 guilty Confcience •, the terrible Hazard and Danger to 
 which we had expofed our felves by our Sins ; and the 
 infinite Mercy and Goodnefs of God, in fo freely for- 
 giving us for Cbrijfs Sake. And furely if we have 
 any Regard left for our felves, or any due Senfe of 
 the Love and Goodnefs of God towards us : we fhall 
 be more cautious and circumfped for the future, and 
 not readily engage again in fuch Courfes •, as we know 
 by Experience were fo affliding and dangerous to our 
 felves, as well as difpleafing and provoking to God. 
 Of this we have an Eminent Example in Holy David,^ 
 I thought on my Ways^ faith he, i. e. I confidered the Sins 
 and Iniquities of my paft Life, together with their parti- 
 cular Circumftances and Aggravations, and the great 
 Evil and Danger of them •, and then it follov/s, / 
 turned my Feet unto thy ^efthnonies % I made hafte and de- 
 layed not to kee^ thy Commandments. PfaL cxix. 59, 60/ 
 And when we are thus recoundng and recolledling our 
 Sins, in order to our Repentance of them j we mufl: 
 
 more 
 
 primum per veram pcenitentiam reconciliato, & vero, ac ccrtopro- 
 pofito concepto de cuftodiendis viis fuis, ut non delinquat- in lin- 
 gua fua, nee in operibus aut appetitionibus fuis. Bellarmin. d£ 
 Arte bene Mofieiidi lib, i. cap, xvi. 
 
282 A Difcourfe concernhig the 
 
 more efpecially examine ourfelves and confider what that 
 Sin is which doth moft ^^/y /'^y^/ ^i, Heb, xii. i. and in 
 what Refpeds either by Nature or Cuftom, we are mod 
 expofed and liable to Temptation : fince as an excel - 
 lent Writer well obferves (^), " The Devil like a 
 *' fkillful General will attack us, where we lie moft 
 *' expofed \ hoping by gaining that Pofl, to make 
 *' the Town quickly furrender -, therefore infurveying 
 *' the State of our Minds, we fhould have an Eye to 
 *' thofe Places that will leaft bear an AlTault, thofe 
 ** Appetites or Paflions, that mofl frequently occa- 
 '^ fion our Fall." And this clofe Inlpedion into our 
 felves will be of great Ufe and Service to us, not only 
 as thereby we fhall be the more effedually fecured 
 from the Danger of falling ; but aifo as we fhall reap 
 this great Comfort and Satisfaction of Mind from it, 
 viz, that when we are confcious to our felves, that we 
 have watched diligently againft our Favourite Sins, and 
 done our bed Endeavours to fubdue and overcome 
 them ; we may be the more fully fatisfied and af- 
 fured of our Sincerity in all other Parts of Qhriftian 
 Duty. But, 
 
 Secondly^ It is not fufficient to the Purpofes of Re- 
 ligion, barely to enquire into ourfelves, in Order to 
 the Difcovery and Repentance of our Sins ; but it is 
 further incumbent upon Us frequently and diligendy 
 to examine our Hearts, that we may underfland the 
 true State and Difpofition of our Souls. For it is in 
 vain to repent of what is paft, unlefs we amend and 
 , reform (h) our Lives for the future, and attain to the 
 Habits of Univerfal Righteoufnefs and Holinefs, with- 
 
 out 
 
 i^g) Nelfon on the Feajis and Fajis, p. 616. 
 {hj Scelerum ii bene pcenitet, 
 Eradenda Cupidinis 
 Pjavi funt Elementa : et tenerae nimis 
 Mentes afperioribus 
 Formandae Studiis. 
 
 Horat, Cam. lib* Hi, Od. z^. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 283 
 
 out which we cannot be faved. And the Examuiation 
 of our felves in this refpedl will require much more 
 Time and Pains, than in the former ; it being not fo 
 difficult to find out in what refpedts we have offended 
 againil the Laws of God, as it is to difcover the true 
 Temper and Difpofition of our Minds, and upon 
 what Principles our Religious Adions and Perfor- 
 mances are grounded. For to ufe the Words of the 
 Prophet, I'he Heart is deceitful above (i) all things, who 
 can know it ? Jer, xvii. 9. But however, if we v/ill 
 fearch diligently into our Hearts, we may attain to 
 a true and exad Knowledge of them. And there are 
 feveral Rules to be obferved, which will enable us to 
 make this Difcovery. But the chief and principal of 
 them are thefe two. Firft^ If upon Enquiry v/e can 
 aflure our felves that we have no corrupt Ends nor 
 worldly Defigns in any of our Religious Adions ; 
 but that we perform them out of a fole view to the 
 Glory of God, and our own Salvation. And Secondly y 
 if our Love to God and a Regard to His Authority 
 be fuch, as determines us to a Perfedl and Univerfal 
 Obedience to His Commandments. Now upon thefe 
 Principles we Ihould carefully examine into the State 
 and Condition of our Souls ; and fee whether our Re- 
 ligious Adbions are grounded upon their true and 
 proper Motives, and whether our Lives and Manners 
 are perfedlly agreeable to the Laws of God. Thus 
 in general we fhould enquire of ourfel ves, and fee whe- 
 ther our Converfation is in Heaven \ Phil. iii. 20. whe- 
 ther our Affe5fions he fet on Things above^ and not on 
 ^Things on the Earth-, Col, iii. 2. and whether our 
 whole Behaviour and Converfation he fuch as hecometh 
 the Gofpel of Chrifi ? Phil, i. 27. And as we make 
 Profeffion of Chriji*s Gofpel, we ihould examine our- 
 felves^ whether we he in the Faith -, 2 Cor. xiii, 5 {k)^ 
 
 and 
 
 (/) See Dean Toung's Sermons. Vol. II. p. 99. ^c. 
 (^ ) An omnia sa dogmata bent retineatis, qua vobis tradidL 
 Crot, in Joe, 
 
284 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 and whether we have maintained the Chrifiian Dodlrine 
 in all Parts thereof, in it's Purity and Perfedlion ; 
 not only as by this means we fhall be fecured frorn 
 the Guilt and Danger of Herefy^ Gal v. 20. but alfo 
 upon the Account of that Effe6t and Influence, which 
 a true and right Faith hath upon our Lives and 
 Anions (k). And as v/e fhould thus examine our- 
 felves in general -, fo we fliould extend this Exami- 
 nation to every Part and Branch of that Duty, which 
 we owe to God, our Neighbour and ourfelves. Thus 
 with refpc6t to God, we fhould carefully examine our- 
 felves, whether we have a fixed and ftedfaft Belief of 
 His Being and Attributes ; fince without fuch Faith it 
 is impojjible to pleafe Him, Heh, xi. 6. and particularly 
 of His Omnifcience and Omnipre fence, ABs xv. 18. 
 Heh. iv. 13. Pfal. cxxxix, 7, &c» and the Righte- 
 oufnefs and Goodnefs of His Providence ; Pfal. cxlv. 
 17. Gen, xviii. 25. And whether upon this Account 
 we fubmit ourfelves to His Will in ail Things, and 
 are patient under all thofe Sufferings and Afflidiions 
 which he is pleafed to fend upon us. J oh, i. 21. Heh, 
 xii. 5, c^c. Whether we duly reverence all His Di- 
 vine Excellencies and Perfedions •, Pfal. xxxiii. 8, 
 Heh. xii. 28. and endeavour to imitate them in our 
 Lives and Converfations. Matt. v. 48. Eph. v. i. and 
 whether in Virtue of His Right in creating us, Jfa. 
 xliii. 7, 21. and His fupreme Authority and Domi- 
 nion over us •, Dan. iv. 17. Pfal. xxii. 28. we be 
 careful to obferve all the refpedive Duties which we 
 owe to Him, and walk in all His Ordinances and Com- 
 mandments^ hlamelefs^ Luke i. 6. Whether we love God 
 ahove all 'Things, Matt. xxii. 37. and have a greater 
 Fear of His Difpleafure than of the word and moft 
 dreadful Evils, Luke xii. 4, 5, And when we are thus 
 
 confidering 
 
 (I) Male enim vivitur, fi de Deo non bene creditur. Aug. dc 
 Civiia te Ddt lib< v. cap. x. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord*s Day. 285 
 
 confidering our Duty to God ; we fliould more par- 
 ticularly examine ourfelves, whether we have a due 
 Regard to the Honour and Majefty of God, in thefe 
 Two Refpedts. Firft^ In diligently and conflantly 
 attending upon His Public Worfhip, at the ftated 
 Times and Seafons of it *, FjaL xcvi. 8. fince Piety 
 towards God, is not only a NecelTary and EfTential 
 Duty of Religion, but alfo the Principal and Founda- 
 tion of all Virtues {m) \ as hath been before fully 
 fhewn (*). And in the Performance of this 
 great Duty of Public Worfhip •, we fhould care- 
 fully examine ourfelves as to the Manner of perform- 
 ing it, Pfal. Ixxxix. 7. and fee that we offer up no cor- 
 rupt Sacrifices unto Him, Mat, i. 14. and that we do 
 not pretend to honour Him with cur Lips, while our 
 Hearts are far from Him Matt, xv. 8. And Secondly 
 we' fhould examine this our Regard to the Majefty and 
 Honour of God •, by duly enquiring whether we have 
 been inviolably true to all thofe Oaths and Vows 
 which we have made in His Name •, Nu?nb. xxx. 2 . 
 Matt, V. 33, and whether, as a powerful Means to re- 
 ftrain and prevent the Guilt of Perjury, we watch dili- 
 gently and conftantly over ourfelves, that we do not 
 profane the Holy Name of God by rafh and com- 
 mon Swearing {n). Exod. xx. 7. Mat. v. 34. And Se- 
 condly with refpedt to our Neighbour °, we fhould 
 diligently examine our felves, whether we duly 
 difcharge all the Duties which we owe to him. More 
 
 particularly 
 
 (m) YlA(rcov Tuv d^i\<^v Yiyip.eov i^v ivu'iCeict' Hierocl. in Pythag. 
 Aur Carm. p. lo. 
 
 (*J See above p. 92. 
 
 {n) "OuTM -^ c«V Tilp-^^a>.<^7D d&i Ivopz^Vy « fXi\ ^7iipCpW7a^t64* 
 Bit Toii opaoif' , ^ 3<^ ^1' 7>i (Tui/i'^eidL t« ofM^ve^v, pd^ia; av 
 fjiilama-oi 77? bV imsf/jctw Idem p. 34. 'And it is very remarkable 
 that, that faying of ^i "James., chap. v. 12. Szvear not^ lefi ye 
 fall into Condemnation \ is in fomfft of the bell Copies and fe- 
 veral of the old Verfions, rendered thus; left ye fall into Hypocrify: 
 as if the Sin of frequent and common Swearing naturally tended 
 to involve Men in the Guilt of Lying and Perjury. Vid, Grot, Eez. 
 & BJlium in ioc. 
 
286 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 particularly, we Ihould enquire of our felves, whe* 
 ther we fincerely love him. Rom, xii. 20. i John 
 iv. 21. and pay him that Honour and Refped 
 which thro' the Superiority of his Age and Station 
 is due to him *, i Pet, v. 5, Rom. xii. 10. chap. 
 xiii. 7. Whether we live in Peace and Friend- 
 fhip v/ith him ; Ro7n. xii. 18. Whether we are punc- 
 tually juft and honeft in all our Dealings with him -, 
 Matt. vii. 12. and not only abftain from the grofler 
 kinds of Injuftice, as Murder, Adultery, and the like, 
 but alfo from all inferiour Inftances and Degrees of it ■> 
 fuch as Theft and Damage, Exod. xx. 15. chap.XiLii, 
 5. Oppreffion and Fraud, Lev. xxv. 17. Luke iii. 13. 
 1 T^hejf. iv. 6. and every thing elfe that approaches 
 thereunto, i 'The£l v. 22. Whether we keep our- 
 felves from all Slander and falfe Witnefs, Exod. xx. 
 J 6. and inviolably obferve the Truth in all our Af- 
 fertions and Declarations, Eph. iv. 25. Whether 
 we have Charity in relieving his Wants -, Rom. xii. 
 20. Mercy in pitying his Misfortunes, Luke vi. 36. 
 Ccl. iii. 12, 13. and Candour in the Interpretation 
 of his Adions ; Matt. vii. 1,2. And whether we con- 
 tribute all that lies in our Power to the Happinefs 
 and Salvation of Mankind, by inftru6ling the Igno* 
 rant, 2 Tt7n. ii. 25. by reproving the Wicked, Lev. 
 xix. 1 7. and by propounding to the Imitation of all 
 Men, a bright and fhining Example of Piety and 
 Religion in our own Perfons. Matt, v, 16. And then^ 
 in the Third and lail place with refpe6t to our felves, 
 v/e fhould carefully enquire whether we have attained 
 to a perfect and compleat VicSlory over all our Paf- 
 fions ; more particularly, whether we are truly hum- 
 ble in our Thoughts -, Rom, xii. 3. meek in our Tem- 
 pers ; M.ait. V. 5. temperate in our Enjoyments ; 
 Liike. xxi. 34. i Ccr. ix. 25. chafle in our Hearts, 
 Rrov. iv. 23. and modeft in our Language and Be- 
 haviour \ E.ph. iv. 29. I 'Thejf. iv. 3. diligent in our 
 Callings •, Eph. iv. 28. and contented in cur Condi- 
 
 ticn 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 287 
 
 tipn. Heh, xiii. 5* And whether We make a good 
 Ufe and Improvement of all the Talents which God 
 hath committed to our Management ; fuch as Time, 
 Health, Riches, Learning, Power, ^c. Matt. xxv. 
 14 to 31. and employ them, as far as we are able to 
 the Honour of God, i Cor, x. 3 1 , and the Benefit of 
 Mankind. GaL vi. 10. And laft of all ; we fhould 
 examine our felves, whether, in order to the due Dif- 
 charge of all Chriftian Duties, and that we may the 
 better repent of what we have done amifs, and en- 
 courage and comfort our felves, when we have done 
 well ; we be careful to improve our Minds in Divine 
 Knowledge, by reading of pious and good Books, 
 and particularly by a conflant and diligent Study of 
 the Holy Scriptures. John, v. '^^. 2 l'i7n. iii. 16, 
 17. (0) This is what the great Duty of Self-examination 
 requires of us ; and we muft be fure that we perform 
 it frequently and diligently, if we would underftand 
 the true State and Difpofition of our Souls. And to 
 underftand this is abfolutely Neceflary upon thefe two 
 Accounts. Firji^ In order to obtain the Peace and 
 Tranquillity of our Minds, and a reafonable and well 
 grounded Hope of God's Favour. As to the Peace of 
 our Minds : This fo naturally depends upon the Prac- 
 tice of Virtue ; that it is impoffible to fecure it upon 
 any other Principle, as hath been already obferved 
 (p). And fo neceflary is the conftant Pradice of Pie- 
 ty and Virtue to obtain the Love and Favour of God y 
 that a Man cannot poflibly fall into a greater Miftake 
 and Delufion, than to expedl it upon any other Terms. 
 For it is the Voice of Nature, as well as the Exprefs 
 Declaration of Holy Scripture ; that without Holinefi 
 
 710 
 
 vojxvi T/mV A«'fo/, ;wt9'»< ^o^ffm&i tIuj ^mtV TdrleiVf it) ^^ 
 
 'r)v oKqv ^f^v t^iov j Hierod. in P/thag. Aur. Carm. pag. 206, 
 (p) See p. 204, &c. 
 
288 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 m Man Jhall fee the Lord, Heh, xii. 14. For as a 
 Learned Writer well {q) obferves, " The Expeda- 
 *' tion and Hope of any Man for Life, and Immor- 
 *' tality and Glory, without previous Holinefs, can 
 *' be built on no other Foundation but this, that God 
 *' will refcind His Eternal Decrees, and change His 
 *' Purpofes, that is, ceafe to be God, merely to comply 
 *' with them in their Sins •, and who knows not what 
 *' will be the End of fuch a curfed Hope and Expec- 
 *' tation ?" And to ufe the Words of an Excellent 
 Prelate, " The Terms of our Happinefs are firmly 
 " and immutably fixed, like the Foundation of the 
 " Earthy which cannot he moved •, Nay fooner may 
 *' Heaven and Earth pafs away^ than a wicked Man 
 *' enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (r). If then 
 we would upon good Grounds procure the Peace and 
 Tranquillity of our Minds, and afcertain our felves 
 of the Love and Favour of God ; we muft carefully 
 examine into the State and Difpofition of our Souls ; 
 that we may fee whether we are entitled to thefe great 
 BlelTings, by a fincere Repentance of all our Sins, 
 and by the conflant Pradice of Religion and Virtue. 
 And, 
 
 Secondly^ To enquire into the State and Difpofition 
 of our Souls is abfolutely necefiary in order to difcover 
 our Growth in Grace, and Imiprovement in all Chrif- 
 tian Virtues. This is what the Holy Scriptures re- 
 quire of us in many Places. Thus fays the Apoftle, 
 Grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and 
 Saviour J efus Chrift, 2 Pet. iii. 18. And St P^/// com- 
 mands that our Love fJjould abound yet more and more in 
 Knowledge and in all Judgment ; that we may he filled 
 with the Fruits cf Right ecufnefs^ &c. Phil. i. 9, 10, 11. 
 And again, fays he. Leaving the Principles of the Do5lrine 
 cfChriJl^ let us go on to PerfeElion. Heh. vi, i. In which 
 
 he 
 
 {q) Dr Owen's Pneumatologia^ pag* 52] 
 (r) fillotfofi. Vol, III. p. IC9. 
 
 
Religions Objervation of the Lord's Day. 2 89 
 
 he gives us his own Example, Forgetting thofe Things 
 which are behind, and reaching forth unto thofe things 
 which are before, Iprefs toward the Mark, for the Prize 
 of the high Calling of God in Chrift Jefus. Phil. iii. 13, 
 14. Now this Growth in Grace is abfolutely neceiTary 
 upon thefe two Accounts. Firft, In order to attain to 
 that Perfedion of Piety and Virtue which our Holy 
 Rehgion requires of us. Thus fays our BlefTed Lord, 
 Be ye therefore perfetl, even as your Father which is in 
 Heaven is Perfe5i. Matt, v. ult. And the Apoftle, as 
 He which hath called you is Holy, fo be ye Holy in all Man- 
 7ier of Cohverfation, i Pet, i. 15. If we fhould confi- 
 der the clearnefs and plainnefs of thofe Precepts which 
 are laid down to us in the Scripture •, the mighty Aids 
 and AlTiftances of God's Grace and Holy Spirit ♦, and 
 the great Strength and Force of thofe Motives which 
 are propounded to us in the Gofpel, particularly thofe 
 which are taken from the Eternal Rewards andFunifh- 
 ments of another World : We might be apt to think, 
 that in virtue of thefe great Motives and Confidera- 
 tions, God might reafonably expe(5l, that we fhould 
 immediately forfake all Manner of Sin and Wicked-^ 
 nefs, and at once attain to the perfc6l Habits of Piety 
 and Virtue. • And it is certain that the Chrillian Faith 
 had this Ef!e6t upon many of the Primitive Converts ; 
 who were at once reclaimed from a very wicked and 
 profligate Courfe of Living, to a moil Eminent De- 
 gree of Holinefs and Piety {s). But the great Weak- 
 nefs and Impotency of our Nature fmce the Fall, the 
 Univerfal Corruption which enfued thereupon, the 
 ftrong Propenfion and Inclination of all Men to Sin 
 
 U and 
 
 (s) Da mihi virum qui fit iracundus maledicus, efFraenatus ; pau- 
 ciiTimis Dei verbis tarn placidum quam ovem reddam. Da libidinofumj 
 &c. Numquis haec Philofophorum aut unquam prsftitit, aut prs- 
 ftare, fi velit, poteft ? La^laiit. Infiitut. lib, tii. cap. xxvu 
 See alfo, Dr ScottV Chrijiian Life, ^vo. Vol. 11 L chap. -jH p. l^y 
 70. in which there are fever al remarkable Fafages cited eut of St 
 Origen to this Purpofet 
 
290 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 and Wickednefs, and above all the mighty Power 
 and Dominion of Evil Habits, under which the 
 greatelt Part of Mankind are unhappily fallen ; are a 
 fufficient Bar to this Expedation. And therefore, tho* 
 in the firft Ages of Chriftianity, when the Faith of 
 Chriilians was'fupported in it's full Vigour by daily 
 and conftant Miracles, and an uncommon Degree and 
 Meafure of God's Spirit was fhed abroad upon the 
 Church, fomething Extraordinary might be expedled ; 
 yet in the general State and Condition of the Church, 
 the Cafe is quite otherwife. And God in His great 
 Mercy and Goodnefs, is ready to make all reafonable 
 Allowances for our Frailties and Imperfedions. And 
 therefore He does not expedt that we fhall at once get 
 the Victory over our fmiul Habits, and attain to the 
 Perfedion of Chriilian Virtue. But He requires on- 
 ly, that v/e diligently coniider and attend to the great 
 Arguments and Motives of the Gofpel ; and inVirtiie of 
 them, be determined to abftain from all known Sin and 
 Wickednefs ; that we carefully watch over our felvcs 
 to difcover our Infirmities and Corruptions ; that we 
 ufe our bed Endeavours to reform and amiCnd our 
 Lives, till by degrees we arrive at the Height of 
 Chrifiian Perfedlion : till we become perfeB^ even as 
 0ur Father which is in Heaven is perfe5f. Matt, v. 48, 
 and attain to the Meafure of the Stature of the Fulnefs of 
 Chrift. Eph. iv. 13. And, 
 
 Secondly^ Our Growth in Grace is abfolutely neceffa- 
 fy to prevent our Apoftacy and Defe6tion from Piety 
 • and Virtue. For Religion is a FrogreJJlve Work, and 
 requires a continual Increafe and Improvement in all 
 Chrifiian Graces and Virtues. And it is in vain to think 
 that we can attain to fuch Perfedion of Holinefs and 
 Virtue, as that we fhall have no Occafion to proceed 
 any further. For unlefs we move forward in a Courfe 
 of Piety and Religion, we fhall neceffarily go back- 
 ward, 'till at length v/e fhall fall from our Stedfafl- 
 nefs. And accordingly we find that the Apoftle pre- 
 fcribes this very thing as the Means to prevent our 
 
 Apoflacy : 
 
Religions Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 291 
 
 Apoftacy : l^ake heed, fays he, left ye fall from your own 
 Stedfaflnefs *, and then follows the Remedy, hut grow in 
 Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus 
 Chrifi, 2 Pet. hi. 17, 18. If then we have any Re- 
 gard to the Peace and Tranquilhty of our Minds, and 
 to the Love and Favour of God, and would know 
 upon good Grounds, whether we are jullly entitled to 
 thefe great BlefTings ; we muft diligently examine our 
 felves and fee in what Manner we have behaved our- 
 felves. Whether we have reconciled ourfeives to God, 
 by a true Repentance, and have endeavoured to pleafe 
 Him in all Things, and to walk in all His Comtnand- 
 ments and Ordinances hlamelefs \ and whether we have 
 duly difcharged all the Duties which we owe to our 
 Neighbours and ourfeives. We muft carefully en- 
 quire into the Tempers and Difpofitions of our Minds, 
 whether our Hearts and Affedlions are fet on the Things 
 that are above ^ and our Converfation he in Heaven ; and 
 whether we die daily unto Sin, and live unto Righteouf- 
 nefs ; and whether the longer we live in the World, 
 we become more fenfible of the Vanity thereof, and 
 do more dcfpife the Riches, Honours and Pleafures of 
 it. And whether as we have received of the Lord, how 
 we ought to walk and to pleafe God, fo we endeavour to 
 abound more and more. 1 Thefj'. iv. i. till at length we 
 arrive at that Perfedion of Piety and Virtue, which 
 our Holy Religion requires of us. For this, as hath 
 been fhewn, is not only highly reafonable and necelTa- 
 ry, but is moreover of the utmoft Benefit and Advan- 
 tage to ourfeives *, fmce as the Apoltle obferves, Rom. 
 vi, 22. If our Fruit be untoHolinefs, our End Jhall he 
 Everlajling Life, 
 
 tJ 2 CHAP, 
 
292 
 
 A Difcourfe concerning th 
 
 CHAP. T. 
 
 Concerning the Religious Education of Children, 
 
 SHALL not in treating upon this 
 Point, fpend any Time in fhewing 
 the Benefit and Advantage of a good 
 Education, neither fhall I defcribe at 
 large the many and feveral Parti- 
 culars, in which the Religious Edu- 
 cation of Children doth confift, fuch 
 as the bringing them to be baptized in the Congrega- 
 tion of Chrift •, and afterwards to be confirmed by the 
 Bifliop ; the having them publickly Catechized in the 
 Church ; the fetting a pious and good Example con- 
 flantly before them -, with other Things of the like 
 Nature, which, tho' they are very Necellliry -and Ef- 
 fential Parts of Chriftian Education, yet lie out of my 
 prefent Defign. For this hath been fully done by 
 many excellent Writers, from whom any one may re- 
 cieve fufficient Information in this Matter//^. But 
 all that 1 Ihall do at prefent, is to obferve as briefly as 
 I can, wherein the Pious and Religious Education of 
 
 Children 
 
 (/) See particularly Archbiihop Ttllotfoiiy Bilhop FUciwood, an4^ 
 Wr Lock upon this Subje<5t. 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord's Day. 29 j 
 
 Children doth chiefly and principally confifl. And 
 then in the fecmd Place, to confider the abfolute Ne- 
 ceffity and unfpeakable Advantage of fuch Education. 
 And jirft^ Wherein the Pious and Religious Educa- 
 tion of Children doth principally confift. Now this 
 in general confifts in Inftruding them early and fully, 
 in all the Do6trines and Duties of the Chriftian Reli^ 
 gion. And this is chiefly and principally to be done 
 thefe three Ways. Firft^ By inflruding them early in 
 lb me fliort Summary and Catechifm, containing the 
 Principles and Duties of Chriji's Gofpel. Secondly^ By 
 inftruding them frequendy in the fame Points, by 
 Word of Mouth, and in their Difcourfe and Converfa- 
 tion. And thirdly^ By obliging them frequently to 
 read pious and good Books, and efpecially the Holy 
 Scriptures. 
 
 And Firft then. The Religious Education of Chil- 
 dren implys the Inftru6ling them early, in feme ihort 
 Summary and Catechifm containing the Principles and 
 Dudes of Chrift's Gofpel. And of this kind there 
 are many to be found in the Nation, but that which is 
 appointed for this purpofe by our own Church, is of 
 all others the befl and moft excellent. And in this 
 Catechifm all Parents fhouJd early and diligently 
 inflrud their Children, and make them get it all 
 by heart and remember it exaftly. And in order to 
 their better underftanding of it, they ihould make 
 them read it with fome fhort and plain Expofition ; 
 in which the Senfe and Meaning thereof is explained, 
 and every Part illuflrated and confirmed by Proofs 
 from Holy Scmpture i of which there are fo rnany Ex- 
 cellent ones publifhed in our Language, that a Man 
 can hardly make a bad Choice. And in the Ufe of 
 thefe Expofitions, a Parent fhould afiiil the Weaknefs 
 of his Childrens Judgment, by explaining every Part. 
 to them, as far as their Capacities will admit, and 
 making them underftand it perfedly. And more 
 particularly, they fhould make them fully acquainted 
 ^ U 3 widi 
 
294 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 with the true Senfe and Meaning of every Petition 
 in the hordes Prayer^ and of every Article in xht Creed-, 
 and ihould let them know diftinclly the View 
 and Defign of them, and what EfFedl and Influence 
 the Ufe of thofe Petitions and the Belief of thofe 
 Articles, ought to have upon their Lives and Converfa- 
 tions : and This, becaufe the Lord's Prayer and the 
 Creed are by every Member of our Church condant- 
 ly recited in our Public Worfhip ; and therefore 
 ought not to be ufed and offered up to God by any 
 one by Rote only, and as a mere Cuftomary Form of 
 Words, (as it is much to be feared it is the Practice of 
 too many Perfons to doj but with due Underftanding 
 and proper Affe6lions : fmce otherwife, his offering up 
 thofe Petitions to God, and making Profefiion of his 
 Faith in Him, will be fo far from being well pleaf- 
 ing and acceptable to Qod, that it muft rather be 
 offenfive and difpleafing to Him, And fo likewife 
 when they proceed to the Cbrifiian Sacraments of 
 Baptifin and the Lord's Supper^ they muft be careful to 
 explain to them, the true Nature and Defign of them ; 
 and muft let them know, that they are. not mere 
 Forms and Ceremonies, as too many Perfons now 
 falfely reprefent them, but Matters of the utmoft Con- 
 fequence and Importance to the truly Chrlftian Life 
 and Converfation (^), That Baptifin is the Great 
 SacramiCnt of Initiation into the Gofpel, as Circumcifion 
 was into the Jewifh Difpenfation. And as every Per- 
 fon that was circiifncifed^ did thereby become a Debter to 
 do the whole Law •, Galat. v, 3. So whofoever is bap- 
 tized into the Cbrifiian Religion, does thereby lay 
 himfelf under a moft folemn Obligation to obferve all 
 the Terms and Conditions of the Gofpel Covenant. 
 Rom. vi. 3, 4. ("and for this Reafon the Circumcifion of 
 Chrift^ mentioned by St Paul, Col, ii. 11. is by fome 
 
 good 
 
 (*) See above p, 114. 
 
Religtctis Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 295 
 
 good Interpreters (u) underftood of the Chriftian Bap- 
 tifm). And that Bapifin does not fave us by pidtmg 
 away the Filth of the Flejh^ hut by the Anfwsr of a good 
 Confcience towards God-, i Pet, iii, 21. and confequently 
 if they do not anfwer the End and Defign of their 
 Baptifm, by fulfilling the Terms of the Gofpel Cove- 
 nant, and living in Univerfal Holinefs and Goodnefs ; 
 their Baptifm will be fo far from being a BlefTing and 
 Advantage to them, that on the contrary it v^ill prove 
 the greateft Infelicity and Curfe which could poflibly 
 have befallen them : Since it would have been better for 
 them not to have known the Way of Righteoufnefs^ than 
 lifter they had known it to turn from the Holy Command- 
 ment delivered unto them. 2 Pet. ii. 21. And fo with 
 regard to the Lord^s Supper^ it fhould be well and fre- 
 quently imprinted on their Minds, that the receiving 
 this Holy Sacrament is not a Bare eating of Bread 
 and drinking of Wine in Remem.brance of Chriil's 
 Death ; but a moft Solemn and Sacred Inftitution, 
 in v/hich the Infinite Love of our Dear Saviour in 
 dying for us is in a mod lively Manner difplayed and 
 reprefented to our Minds, and by which all the Bene- 
 fits of His D^ath and Paffion are conveyed and ad- 
 niiniilred to us : For the Sacramental Bread and 
 Wine is the Co?nmunion of the Body and Blood of Chriflj 
 as St P^2// obferves, i Cor, x. 16. (x) and therefore 
 they fhould not only regularly and conftantly receive 
 this BlelTed Sacrament, in Virtue of Chrift's Com- 
 mand requiring them to do fo ; but alfo with the high- 
 efl Gratitude, and mioit Inflamed Affe6lions towards 
 Him ; and from a due Senfe of His Amazing Love 
 in dying for us, with a True and Perfect Love and 
 Charity for all Mankind. And in like Manner when 
 Parents are Catechifmg their Children in the Moral 
 
 U 4 Precepts 
 
 (u)Gomarus in he. Nelfon on the Feflivals, p. 115. 
 {x) .S^f Burnet, Artie. XXVIII. p. 316, 317. 
 
296 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Precepts of Religion, they miift make them fully ien^ 
 fible, that they are not only ftridly bound to pradlice 
 all Moral Duties, becaufe God hath exprefsly -njoined 
 them •, but alio, becaufe they are Abfolute Neceflary 
 Qualifications, without which the Happinefs of Hea- 
 ven cannot poifibly be enjoyed (y). Nay and more- 
 over, that they are Indifpeniably requifite to their Peace, 
 Comfort, and True Happinefs even in this Prefent 
 Life (z). And therefoi-e as they have any Regard to 
 their true Intereft and Happinefs in this World, and 
 to the Salvation of their Souls in the World to come ; 
 they muft be exceedingly careful, that they regularly 
 and conftantly live in the Univerfal Pra6lice of Moral 
 Virtue. In this Manner ihould Chriftiaji Parents in- 
 flrud: their Children in their Catechifm -, fince if they 
 only make them learn it by Rote (as the General Cuf- 
 torn is to do) without explaining the Senfe and Mean- 
 ing thereof to them, and acquainting them with the 
 View and Defign of every Part, and deeply im- 
 printing it upon their Minds and Underftandings ; 
 they might to all the Intents and Purpofes of Religion, 
 as well not inftrud and catechize them at all. But, 
 Secondly^ Becaufe the Underftandihgs of Young 
 Perfons are weak, and their Apprehenfion of Things 
 rery imperfed and obfcure •, it is further Neceffary to the 
 Religious Education of Children, that Parents inftrudl 
 them in the great Points ofCbriftian Knowledge, (a) by 
 Word of Mouth, and in their Difcourfe and Conver- 
 fation. And this muft be done frequently and care- 
 fully, upon all proper Occafions and Opportunities. 
 
 For 
 
 Cy) See Tillotfon Vol. I. p. 96. 
 
 (z) See above p. 204, 205. 
 
 (a) The Difficulty of keeping young and hot Blood in order, 
 does mightily enforce the Necellity of an early Care for the Train- 
 ing up of Children, and giving tliem a Tindlure, before it be too 
 late, of thofe Dodrines an^l Principles, by which they are after- 
 wards to govern the whole Frame of their Lives. For in their 
 tender Years they are more fufceptible of profitable and virtuous 
 Impreffions than alcerwards, when they come to be folicited by the 
 Impulfe of common and vulgar Inclinations. VEjhangis FabUs^ 
 "0, VoL I. Fab. 184. ^. X98, - 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Ivord's Day. 297 
 
 For as an Eminent Writer hath well obferved (b), 
 *' The Impreflions of Piety and Virtue on i\\t Minds 
 *' of Men, muft be in Proportion to the fignal Force 
 *' with which thofe Impreflions are made, and the 
 *' Frequency with which they are repeated ."And there- 
 fore if Parents heartily defire that their Children fhoukl 
 be duly improved in Chriftian Knowledge, they muft 
 ufe all poflible Diligence, and lay hold of every Op- 
 portunity to inftrudl them in every Part of it. More 
 efpecially, they fhould be careful frequently to inilrudl: 
 them in the Three General Heads of Chriftian Duty, 
 viz. their Duty to God, their Neighbour, and Them- 
 felves •, for thefe will naturally, and by degrees lead 
 them to the Pradlice of all the Particular Duties which 
 are derived therefrom. 
 
 As to the Firft^ They fhould frequently put them 
 in Mind, that God not only created them out of 
 nothing, but that He alfo fupports them continually by 
 his Good Providence, and fupplys them with all the 
 Neceflaries and Conveniencies of Life ; and which 
 is "infinitely beyond this, that He hath prepared a 
 State of Eternal and Inconceiveable Happinefs for 
 them, when this Life fhall be at an End ; and hath 
 fent His only Begotten Son into the World, to afTure 
 them of it, who hath fhed Flis mod Precious 
 Blood to redeem them from 'Death, and to purchafe 
 Eternal Life for them : and Confequently that they 
 ought in the higheft Degree to Love, Honour, and 
 Adore fo Good and Excellent a Being, (c) and to 
 manifefl; their continual Dependance upon Him, by 
 Hearty and Conftant Prayer and Devotion, both 
 Public and Private. And that they may better dif- 
 charge this NecefTary Duty, they fliould furnifli them 
 with fome fit and proper Form of Private Devotion, 
 and fee that they Regularly make ufe of it ; and 
 fhould from the Beginning inftrud and train them up 
 
 under 
 
 [k) Revelation examined with Candour, Vol. II« p. 165. 
 [c] See above Part I. Introdudion, p. 1 and 2. 
 
298 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 under a Due Senfe of the Abfolute NecefTity of attend- 
 ing upon the PubUc Worlhip. And if they are hearty 
 and fincere in this Inflrudtion, they muft be extreme- 
 ly careful, that they fet before their Children a Good 
 Example in diis Particular ^ and that they never neg- 
 lect the Public Worfhip Themfelves, for the Sake of 
 any Company or Worldly Pleafure, but only in Cafe 
 of Sicknefs or unavoidable NecefTity. And further, when 
 they are thus inflrudling their Children in their Duty 
 to God, they muft not only make them fenfible of His 
 Being, butalfo of all His Excellencies and Perfedlions ; 
 and mufl diflindly fhevv them what EfFe6l and 
 Influence, the Belief of thefe Divine Perfections ought 
 to have upon their Lives and Manners. More parti- 
 cularly they fhould frequently put them in Mind, that 
 God is every where prefent^ Pfal. cxxxix. 7, &c. and 
 knoweth all 1'bi?igs v. 2, 3. Heh. iv. 13. even the 
 fecret Thoughts of the Heart, i. Chron, xxviii. 9. and 
 therefore in all their A6lions they fhould fet the Lord 
 always before them^ and behave themfelves as being ever 
 under His immediate Eye and Infpedlion. Pfal. xvi, 8. 
 and this more efpecially, becaufe as God fees anddifco- 
 vers all their Adions, fo He is of abfolute Holinefs and 
 inflexible Juflice, and will not at all acquit the VAckedy 
 ]Slahu?n, i. 3. nor by any means clear the Guilty. Exod. 
 xxxiv. 7. And for the more folemn Manifeftation of 
 His Juftice, hath appointed a Bay in which He will judge 
 the World in Righteoufnefs. AEls xvii. 3 1 . and will bring 
 every Work into Judgment ., with every fecret Ihing.^ whe- 
 ther it be good or evil Eccl. xii. ult. and when all Men 
 fhall be Sntenced to a State of everlafting and incon- 
 ceivable Happinefs or Mifery, according to their De- 
 ferts. Matt. xxv. 46. And becaufe the^ Dodlrine of a 
 Future Judgment and Eternal Retributions is of the 
 utmofl Confequence to Religion, without a Firm and 
 Stedfafl Belief of which the Pradlice of Piety and 
 Virtue cannot polTibly be fupported and maintained, as 
 
 was 
 
Religions Obfervatiojt of the Lord's Day. 209 
 
 was before obferved {d) ; for this Reafon all Parents 
 fhould endedvour early to inftil this Great Principle 
 into their Children ; fhould frequently talk and dif- 
 courfe to them of Heaven and Hell •, and by the moft 
 lively Images and fenfible Defcriptions, fhould repre- 
 fent to them, as far as they are able, the exceeding 
 Happinefs of the Righteous, and the aftonifhing Mi- 
 feries of the Damned : fmce a flrong and deep Im- 
 prefTion of this Great Truth, mull needs be of unfpeak- 
 able Benefit and Advantage to them throughout their 
 v/hole Lives -, as it will the m.oil powerfully reftrain 
 them from Wickednefs and Vice, and encourage them 
 to the Pra6tice of Piety and Virtue. And, 
 
 Secondly^ As to their Duty towards their Neigh- 
 bour ; Parents fhould not only barely inform their 
 Children, that they ought to be Jufi, Righteous, and 
 Charitable to their Fellow Creatures, but they ought 
 alfo to make them acquainted with the true Ground and * 
 Foundation of thefe Duties ; as_, viz. that every Man 
 is born a Member of a large Society, the Happinefs 
 of which he is as truly andfmcerely bound toconfult 
 as that of his own ♦, and confequently fince the Happi- 
 nefs of Human Society (which is infeparable from that of 
 private PerfonsJ entirely depends upon the due Perfor- 
 mance of all focial Duties •, every Man fhould think 
 himfelf flriftly bound to the Difcharge of thofe Du- 
 ties : and fhould not look upon himfelf as born only 
 for his own Sake to pleafe and delight himfelf, but for 
 the Sake of all Mankind, v/ho are Members of .the 
 fame Society with himfelf ^ and to whom he fhould not 
 only be jufl and righteous in his Dealings, but fhould 
 alfo, as far as he is able, extend all Inftances of Flu- 
 manity. Charity, and Benevolence (e). And in the 
 
 Third 
 
 {d) See p. 251, &.C. 
 
 [e] Homines Homnum caufa generatifunt, utipfi inter fe alii alii! 
 prvdejfe pojfent. Cic. de Offic. lib. \. See alfo, P^ffendorf's 
 Law of Nature^ &c, lib. Hi. ch. Hi. §. i. in which there are 
 many excellent Pa fTages to this Purpofe cited out of antient Authors. 
 
3 CO A Difcourfe concernmgthe 
 
 Tlird Place^ with Regard to themfelves ; Children 
 ihould be early and fully inflru6led that they ought to 
 preferve their Bodies in Temperance, Sobernefs, and 
 Chaftity •, not only becaufe all Bodily Exceffes are 
 very injurious and detrimental to Men's Health, and 
 deftrudlive of their Fortunes (which one would think 
 fhould be fufficient to reftrain all Men therefrom j but 
 alio, becaufe they do in a mod horrid Manner efface 
 and deftroy the Image of God in which He created 
 Mankind, and mufl therefore be a high Difhonour and 
 Contempt caft upon Him ; and do moreover render 
 Men entirely unable to perform many of thofe Duties 
 v/hich God hath, in the ilridlefl Manner, required of 
 them (f) •, and as fuch, muft be extremely fatal and 
 dangerous to their Salvation. And therefore if they 
 have any Regard to the Health of their Bodies, 
 and the Peace of their Minds ; if they are 
 •defirous to fupport themfelves and Families in 
 Order and Decency ; and to live in Efteem and Re- 
 putation among their Neighbours •, if they would not 
 degrade the Dignity ot their Natures, by which they 
 are diftinguifhed from the Beafts that perifh ; and to 
 fay no more, if they would not wilfully affront Al- 
 mighty God, and expofe themfelves to HisWrath and 
 Vengeance, by tranfgreffing His Commands ; they 
 are bound to forbear all Excefsof Bodily and Senfual 
 Pleafures, and to live in the Pra6lice of Temperance 
 and Moderation. In the next Place, when Parents 
 inftrudt their Children by way of Difcourfe and Con- 
 verfation, they fhould earneftly and frequently caution 
 them againft thofe Sins and Vices to which Youth is 
 generally fubjedl ; and particularly thofe of hard 
 
 Drinking, 
 
 if) It is very rational to allow our felves a moderate Tafte of 
 lawful and innocent Pleafures, without fufferingthem to overwhelm 
 and drown us j but this is to be fixed as an inviolable Rulcy that no 
 Pleafure muft be purchafed at fo dear a Rate as the Negled or 
 Tranfgreffion of our Duty, Pufendorfy lib. ii, (hap, vi. $. 1 1. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 301 
 
 .Drinking, Idlenefs, Lying, and Swearing, all which 
 are of the moil pernicious and deftrudlive Confequence 
 to them. As to the ill EiFe6ls of hard Drinking, I 
 have juft now touched upon them ; and therefore fhall 
 only add what a great Judge (g) hath obferved upon 
 this Point, viz, " That Parents fhould carefully have 
 *' their Eye upon this Praftice, and reftrain it with all 
 *' the Skill and Induftry they can ; there being no- 
 " thing which lays a furer Foundation of Mifchief, 
 " both to the Body and Mind." As to the fecond^ 
 Children fhould be frequently and fully inftrufted, 
 that Men ought to be diligent and induftrious in Bufi- 
 nefs, not only by Virtue of God*s exprefs Command. 
 Exod. XX. 9. R0771, xii. 11. and that they may con- 
 fult the Benefit of Human Society which they are 
 bound to do *, but alfo, becaufe God hath mioft folemn- 
 ly declared that He will require of all Men a jufl Im- 
 provement of their Talents, and that Men Ihall be 
 condemned at the laft Day and feverely punilhed, for 
 Negle6i:ing to improve their Talents, as well as for mis- 
 applying and abufing them. Matt, xxv. 24 to 31. And 
 to make Men the more fenfible of this Duty, the Scrip- 
 ture reprefents an Idle Perfon to be in a State of Sleep ; 
 as if to be entirely bereaved of Senfe and Perception, 
 and to be Ufelefs and Unaclive were the very fame 
 Thing. Prov. xix. 15. (h). And moreover, Children 
 fhould be well and throughly informed, that Idlenefs 
 not only of itfelf naturally leads Men into other Vices ; 
 Prcv. xviii. 9. (i), but alfo, that without great Pains 
 and Induftry, it is impofiible to attain to a due Skill 
 and Knowledge in any Art or Profeflion whatfoever : 
 
 And 
 
 fg) Lock on Education, ^tck, 19. 
 
 (h) Mors nobis Teml-us habetur iners. Ovid de Ponto, lib i, 
 Ep. vi. 
 
 (i) Habetur ignavus ac Ji ferderet ipfe, quia mult a perdit^ a^' 
 dum not acquirit unde vivat^ el adigitur ut Scelus exerceat, Merce- 
 rus in loc. 
 
302 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 And therefore if they do not diligently employ them- 
 felves in the proper Bufinefs of their Callings, they 
 will unavoidably fall into Poverty and Want. Prcv, 
 vi. II. chap. XIX. 15. and Poverty (when brought 
 upon themfelves by their own Negligence and Sloth) 
 will expofe them to the Reproach and Contempt of all 
 Mankind (k). And confequently, as they are defirous 
 to avoid the great Miferies and Hardfliips of Poverty -, 
 as they would not be juftly fcorned and defpifed by all 
 Men, as ufelefs and deftrudive Members of Society ; 
 and above all, if they would not willingly be cafl in- 
 to outer Darknefs, Matt, xxv. 0,0. for negleding to 
 improve that noble and precious Talent of Time ; 
 they are bound to employ their Days wifely and ufe- 
 fully, to the Honour of God and the Good of Man- 
 kind, and efpecially by being indufti*ious and diligent 
 in the proper Bufinefs of their ProfefTion. And, 
 
 'Thirdly, As to the Sin of Lying, which as an Emi- 
 nent Writer obferves (/J, " Is fo ill a Quality and 
 '' the Mother of fo many ill ones that fpawn from it, 
 *' and take fhelter under it -, that a Child fhould be 
 *' brought up in the greateil Abhorrence of it imagin- 
 *' able." I fay, as to this Vice, Children fhould be 
 frequently put in Mind, that Lying is not only exprefT- 
 ly forbidden by God in Scripture, Epb. iv. 25. and 
 ranked with the worft and mod heinous Vices, and 
 threatned with the fevereft and mofl dreadful Punifh- 
 ment -, Rev. 21. 8. but alfo, that it is very vile and 
 fcandaious in it felf ; an Argument of a mean and 
 bafe Spirit ; and accompanied with fo many bad Pro- 
 perties and Qualities, that when a Man is once dilco- 
 vered to be guilty of this Vice, he is for ever after 
 
 fulpeded 
 
 (k) mi hahet hifelix Paupertas diirius infey , « , irt 
 
 ^am quod ridiculoi homines facit. Juvenal bat. 111. 
 
 (/) Lock on Education, Seft. 124. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 30;^ 
 
 fufpeded and miftrufted, and becomes odious (m) and 
 hateful to all Mankind. And therefore if they would 
 not be expofed to the utmoft: Abhorrence and Detefla- 
 tion of all Men ♦, if they are defirous to be eileemed 
 and received with Truft and Confidence among their 
 Neighbours ; and above all, as they would hope to 
 efcape the unfpeakable and everlafting Torments 
 of Hell-fire ; they mud diligently and carefully re- 
 frain this bafe and evil Praftice of Lying and Falfe- 
 hood, and conftantly and refolutely fpeak the Truth 
 in all their AfTertions and Declarations. And, 
 
 Fourthly and laftly^ With refped to the great and 
 horrid Sin of profane Swearing (which is one of the 
 reigning and crying Sins of the Nation^ Children ihould 
 be early and feverely cautioned againft this Vice, not 
 only becaule the Sin of common Swearing naturally 
 and frequently leads Men into the Guilt of Perjury 
 {n) \ but alfo becaufe it is in itfelf a moil heinous 
 Tranfgreffion, highly provoking to Almighty God, 
 and threatned in Scripture with the fevereil Punifh- 
 ment. Exod, xx. 7. (0), (See alfo, EccluJ, xxiii. 9,. 
 &c.) And indeed no Wonder, when it is a moft im- 
 pious degrading and vilifying the Sacred Majeily of 
 God's Name •, a due and reverent Regard to which, 
 is the main Foundation of Religion :That Name^ 
 which, as an' Excellent Divine of our Church admirabl^r 
 expreffes it (/>), " All Heaven with the profoundeil 
 
 SubmifTion 
 
 Achilles in Hofner^ Iliad, ix. Like Hell I kite the Man that lyes. 
 
 (n) See above p. 349. 
 
 (0) Will not hold him guilt lefs . The Words are a Meiofis^ i. e. 
 a Figure of Speech in which lefs is expreffei than is meant and 
 fignified j and the Meaning of them is, he fhall be puniihei feverely. 
 Grot, in loc. It is very ufual in Scripture to fpcak after this Manner^ 
 of which the Reader will find many Inftances, if he will conlult 
 MrPool\Synopfts Criticorum on this Text. 
 
 f/'j Dr Banow's Works, VqI I. p. 21^. 
 
304 -^ Dtfcotirfe concerning the 
 
 *' Submifiion doth adore, which the Angeh'cal 
 *' Powers, the brightefl and pureft Seraphims, with- 
 ^^ out hiding their Faces and Reverential Horrour 
 •' cannot utter or hear. Ifa, vi. 2." And moreover 
 Children ihould be well informed, that common 
 Sv/earing is a very rude and unmannerly Pradice, in- 
 aimuch as it is extremely offenfive and difagreeable to 
 all pious and fober People with whom we happen to 
 converfe : and that it is fb far from adding any Thing 
 to the Weight and Force of our Words, that on the 
 contrary, there is nothing which fo much impairs and 
 diminifheth the Credit of our Affertions ; and that 
 the beil way for a Man to gain an eafy and ready 
 Belief to every Thing he fays, is to behave himfelf 
 with Inviolable Probity and Smcerity In all his Con- 
 verfation [q). And becaufe a due Reverence for the 
 Name of God is of the utmofl Confequence to Reli- 
 gion ; therefore Children fhould be early and frequent- 
 ly inftru61:ed to exprefs a fit and becoming Refpedl to 
 that Holy and Sacred Name, whenever It is pro- 
 nounced (r) by themfelves or others -, and particularly 
 they fhould be diligently watched and cautioned, that 
 they do not mention the Venerable Name of God 
 or Lord in their common Difcourfe in a light aad 
 idle Manner, as many fober and well meaning People 
 oftentimes inconfiderately do •, efpecially if they hap- 
 pen to be furprized or tranfported with Anger : for this 
 
 Name 
 
 [q) Of this, Hiilory hath furniftied us with a moft Eminent 
 Example (^highly worthy of the Notice and Imitation of all Chrif;- 
 tians) in the Perfon of Xenocrates the Flatonijl ; a Man of no 
 great Parts, but of fuch abfolute Probity and Sincerity, that 
 the Athenians gave him this fingukr Privilege, that in all 
 Cafes, where all other Perfons wereobb'ged to give their TelHmony 
 upon Oath, he himfelf fhould be beheved upon his bare Word. 
 Vd. Diog, Laert. in Vita Xenocratis. 
 
 (r) See the Spectator '^^ 531. in which there are fgrne very 
 Fxtellent Obfervations to thisPurpofe. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 305 
 
 is not only of itfelf a manifefi Impiety (t) and Irreve- 
 rence, but will alio naturally and infenfibly lead them 
 into greater and more heinous {u) Profanations of 
 God's Name. And therefore as they would willing- 
 ly be efteemed in the World as civilized and well bred 
 rerfons •, as they would not be uneafy and offenfive to 
 every Pious and Devout Man they converfe with •, as 
 they have any Regard to their Credit and Reputation 
 among Men \ and above all, as they tender the Ho- 
 nour and Reverence which is due to God •, and would 
 not expofe themfelves to the Severity of His Wrath and 
 Vengeance by the Abufe and Profanation of His Holy 
 Name -, they iliould be very careful, and watch dili- 
 gently over themfelves, that they never ufe the Sacred 
 Name of God, but in a grave and ferious and devout 
 Manner ; leit by degrees they fhould fall into the 
 great and heinous Sin of profane and common Swear- 
 ing. 
 
 And as Parents Ihould thus admonifh and guard 
 their Children againft the common Sins and Vices of 
 Youth \ fo, as the bed and molt effe6tual Means to 
 preferve them from being infe6led thereby, they fhould 
 earneftly caution them againft keeping Company with 
 lewd and difTolute Pcrfons, than which there is nothing 
 which is of more Fatal and Pernicious Confequence to 
 
 X Young 
 
 (/) Swearing unneceflarlly by God is but profaning of His Name. 
 Bobb's Leviath. Folioy Part /. chap.xlv. p. 71. Ajid tho' this 
 Author adds^ ('in the Words immediately following) *' that Swear- 
 " ing by other Things as Men do in common Difcourfe, is not 
 *' Zvjearing^ yet he fays it is an impious Cujicm^ which Men get 
 *' by too much Vehemence of talking." 
 
 [u) Cuflomary Swearing, befide the ill Confequences it has in 
 making Oaths cheap, &c. is a great Inftance of Difregard and Ir- 
 reverence. For they who ufe themfelves to it, do at leaft make the 
 Tremendous Name of God, to lerve for an Expletive only ; and 
 commonly to Rude, Paffionate, or Debauched Difcourfe, (Ao^oji/ 
 
 AVATT^iipoj^ct 'TTOt^lU.':! TO cty/6oTu]o'/ ^ QelOj' cVo/Zct- P^* J^^-) 
 
 JV'.olaJUii'i Re!ig» of Nat, delinentsdj p, 1 26. 
 
3o6 A Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 Young Men (x). And they fhould more particularly 
 renew and inforce this Caution *, when they are going 
 from them into the World, in order to be educated 
 and inilrudled in their proper Trade or Profeffion. 
 Then, as they fhould diligently remind them of all 
 the pious and good Inftru6tions which they have ever 
 given to them ; fo they fhould prefs them upon this 
 Point with more than ordinary Fervency and Zeal ; 
 and earnefLly conjure them, as they tender the Eafe 
 and Comfort of their Parents ; as they have any Regard 
 to their own Credit and Worldly Intereft ; or any 
 Concern for their Virtue, and their true Happineis 
 both in this Life and the next •, that they be ex- 
 tremely careful what Company they keep, and 
 that they fliun and avoid the Converfation of all lewd 
 and wicked, profane and debauched Perfons, as they 
 would the mod loathfome and dangerous Difeafes. 
 And, as the bell Means to prevent this Fatal Mifchief ; 
 they fliould reprefent to them the necelTary Duty of 
 being diligent in their Studies, or minding their Maf- 
 ter's Bufinefs in Point of flrid Juftice as well as Pru- 
 dence ; and fhould if it were pollible, (^at leaft for 
 the two or three firil Years of their Time, in which 
 they are moft fubjedt to Danger) bring them to a fixed 
 Refolution of going abroad as feldom {y ) as may be, 
 and of never keeping any other Company, but what 
 
 their 
 
 (x) Nulhim adokfcent'iA gravius impendet Vericulumy quam ah 
 amicis ^ Jodalihiis ; qui lubricnm ijiatn ^ ceream atate^n mmla 
 Jx, ius in viiia propellunt, Littleton. Praeleft. de Juventute Oxon, 
 P-72. 
 
 (y) They (Youth) fhould be kept out of Dijiance of either 
 feeir.g or hearing 111 Examples ; efpecially in an Age that is go- 
 verned more hy Precedent than by Reafon. Lejirange, ibid. Ill 
 Examples corrupt even the heft DifpofitloRS, »■ . and above all 
 Things, Children fhould not be betrayed into the Love and Pradice 
 of any thing that is amif?, by fetting Evil Examples before them ; 
 for their Talent is only Imitation j and it is ill trufling; methinks 
 in fuch a Cafe, without a Judgment to diltinguiih. LeJlraJige^ VoL 
 J" p, 2\\, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 307 
 their Mailers and Tutors expreisly allow and approve 
 of. Which Point, if it were ferioufly confidered by all 
 Parents and Mafters as it ought to be, we fhould not 
 haVe fo many lamentable Inilances of Young Perfons, 
 who by going abroad too early into the World, and 
 meeting with bad Company, are ruined and undone 
 beyond Recovery. But, 
 
 'Thirdly^ Another Thing, in which Parents fhouid 
 frequently inftru6t their Children, (and which is a 
 Matter of the greatefi: Confequence to their HappinefsJ 
 is the abfolute indifpenfable Neceifity of Piety and 
 Virtue, in order to obtain the Favour of God in the 
 Life to come -, for ^without Holinefs no Manjhall fee the 
 Lord^ Heh. xii. 14. And the Reafon v/hy I mention this 
 again, and that under a diitin6t Plead, is not that 
 Parents may inform their Children of the NeceiTity of 
 Religion, which I have before taken Notice of; 
 but that they may hereby reprefent to them, that vafc 
 and ineftimable Bleffing which they have now in their 
 Hands, if they will hold fail to thofe pious and good 
 Principles in which they are Educated. !'[ they do 
 not leave their firft Love^ Rev, ii. 4. nor defile their 
 Garinents^ chap. iii. 4. but ihall be careful to preferve 
 that Innocence which they are now poffeiTed of. That 
 Innocence \ which as an Eminent Writer {%) well ex- 
 preiTes it, is a " Jewel, which no Man underilands 
 *' the Value of-, and no Man knows v/hat he does 
 " when he iiril parts with it." P'or let Men pretend 
 what they will, there is a great Uneaiinefs and Dif- 
 quietude of Mind, and a fecret horrible Dread of 
 God's Wrath and Vengeance naturally arifing from 
 the Pradice of Sin {a). This an Extraordinary Peni- 
 tent of our Nation freely acknowledged of himfelf ; 
 *' that tho' he fuffered extreme Pains in his Body, yet 
 
 ^' the Agonies of his Mind fometimes fwal lowed 
 
 '•o 
 
 up 
 
 X 2 "the 
 
 (x) Dr Clarke\ Praaical Efi>ys, Part II, chap. ix. §. i, 
 (a) See above p. 205. 
 
3o8 A Difcourfe concerning tht 
 
 *' the Senfe of what he felt in his Body ; and declared 
 ''*- that tho' there were nothing to come after this Life, 
 ^* yet ail the Fleailires he had ever known in Sin ('and 
 *' perhaps he had known as many as any Man that 
 " ever lived) were not worth that Torture which Pie 
 '"• felt in his Mind {h)y And therefore, whenfoever a 
 Man engages in the Pra6lice of Sin and Wickednefs ; 
 he mud either (which is too {c) often done in this CafeJ 
 have Recourfe to the Principles of Atheijm^ Infidelity^ 
 and Si'.perftitmi^ in order to reconcile his A6lions to his 
 Opinions ; or elfe he muft bring himfeif to Repen- 
 tance, as the only Means to quiet his Confcience, and 
 to deliver his Mind from the Guilt and Burden of his 
 Sins. But now fas will be feen hereafter) it is often- 
 times very hard and difficult for Sinners to repent, the/ 
 they fliould never fo fmcerely defire to do fo •, and in 
 cafe Men do become truly Penitent, yet they cannot 
 attain to a true Repentance, without fuch Labour and 
 Sorrov/, fuch Grief and Trouble ot Mind, as all the 
 Pleafures of Sin can never compenfite. This every 
 fincere Penitent will readily acknowledge : and many 
 pious and good Men who have been unhappily fur- 
 prized Into fome foul Tranfgreffions, have wept bitter- 
 ly upon this Occafion, Matt. xxvi. jc,. And as fuch 
 Perfons have a jufter Notion of the Guilt of Sin, and 
 more lively Apprehenfions of Goi's Juftice and Good- 
 nefs than other 'Men ; it hath fometmies happened, that 
 the Remxmbrance of their Mifcarriages hath eaten up 
 and deitroyed the Senfe and Relifh o[ all their Virtues ; 
 and hath lain fo heavy upon their Minds, as to em- 
 bitter the Delights and Comforts of their whole Lives. 
 This was remarkably the Cafe of Holy David after 
 liis TranfgrefTion in the Matter of Uriah^^ as may 
 be feen in PJalm li. which he compofed upon this 
 
 Occafion„ 
 
 (b) Bifiiop Burnet's Life of the Lord Roche fiery p. 98, 
 
 (c) /au^. Dr .S^;//'s Chriiiian Life, %-vo> Vol. IL p. 375, dr* 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord's Day. 309 
 
 Occafion. / acknowledge my Faults^ lliith he, and 7ny 
 Sin is ever before me, ver. 3. And in another Pfahn 
 recounting the Sins and Iniquities of his Life, he ex- 
 prelTes himfelf thus, I am weary of my groaning^ every 
 Night waftj 1 my Bed, and water my Couch with 7ny Tears i 
 Pfahn vi. 6. as much as to lay, " the Agonies of my 
 *' Mind are fo great, that the Confideration of my hor- 
 *' rible Sins, the Caufes of them, gives me not one Mi- 
 " nute of Inter miflion," as an Excellent Paraphrafr (d) 
 upon the Text, exprefles it. But now young Perfons 
 may eafily prevent all this Trouble and Mifchief, if 
 they will abide by the Principles of their Education, 
 and go on in that pious and good Courfe which they 
 have been brought up in. They may by this Means de- 
 liver themfelves from the Anxieties of Guilt and the 
 Trouble of Repentance, and purchafe to themfelves a 
 fetded Peace and Tranquillity of Mind -, and they will 
 hereby be fo fecure of the Love and Favour of 
 God, that it will render any State and Condi- 
 tion of Life eafy and pleaflnt to them. They will by 
 this Means be always happy in themfelves ; and may 
 labour with Delight, and live with Comfort, and die 
 with Joy» And moreover, they will gain this inefti- 
 mable Advantage by a ftricl and conilant Practice of 
 Virtue ; that they ihall hereby be entitled to the 
 greateft and moft ample Rewards in the Kingdom of 
 Heaven. For tho' Repentance of Sin and Preform a- 
 tion of Life, will procure to a Man the Mercy and 
 Favour of God, if fuch Repentance be early and ef- 
 fe61;ual ; yet as an Eminent Writer well {e) obferves, 
 '' All that a Late Penitent can hope for, is to obtain 
 "- Forgivenefs, and to be admitted into Heaven ; but 
 " the Bright Crowns will be referved for thofe who 
 " have fought ihe good Fight and overcome the World. ^^ 
 And therefore, as Parents fhould always duly inftru6l 
 
 X 3 their 
 
 (^) Ham 771071 d 171 loc. 
 (e) Clarke, 'ibid. $". 4, 
 
3IO A Dijcourfe concernhig the 
 
 their Children in the indifpenfable Neceflity of Holi- 
 nefs and Virtue ; fo when they are going from them 
 into the V/orld in order to be fettled in their proper 
 Trade or ProfeiTion, they fhould be more than ordi- 
 nary careful and diligent to imprint this Matter well 
 upon their Minds. Then, they fhould moft earneftly 
 exhort them., as they would efcape the intolerable 
 Pains and Agonies of a guilty Confcience (which no 
 one knows the Mifery of but they that feel it) -, as they 
 would alv/ays be fecure and free from the Fear and 
 Dread of God's Wrath and Vengeance ; as they 
 would defire to enjoy a fettled Peace and Tranquil- 
 lity of Mind, which is the greateft Blefiing this 
 World affords \ and laftly, as they would be admiit- 
 ted to *any confiderable Share of that unfpeakable 
 Happinefs and Glory which is referved for Righteous 
 and Good Men in the Kingdom of Heaven ; that they 
 would be extremely watchful over themfelves, that they 
 C\<^ not fwerve from the pious and good Inftru61:ions 
 which have been given to them, nor make them loofe 
 the Effeds and Benefits of all their Labours, by 
 plunging themfelves into the Guilt of Sin ; but that 
 they proceed regularly and uniformly in the conftant 
 Pradice of Religion and Virtue. And, to ufe the 
 Vvords of the Excellent Author (/) laft mentioned. 
 They fhould mightily entreat and beg of their Chil- 
 dren \ " ferioufly to confider what a Prize they now 
 *' have in their Hands; and to be Zealous that iiq 
 '^ Man take their Cro'wn, To confider, that if God 
 ■' and Angels rejoice at the Converfion of an old and 
 '' great Sinner, m.uch more muil they be pleafed to 
 '^ fe a Young Perfon amidft the alluring Glories 
 " and Pleafcres of the World, bravely refitting all 
 " it's Tem.ptations. To confider, that that Time 
 '' which a ^'ying Sinner would, if it were pofTible, give 
 *' Millions of Worlds to redeem, is now in their 
 
 " Hands ; 
 
 (/) Clarke ibid. 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord's Day. 3 1 1 
 
 '' Hands •, and they may make a glorious Ufe of it. 
 " To copfider, that they are yet cloathed with the 
 *' white Robe of Innocence, and if they be careful 
 *' never to defile that Garment -, they may attain to a 
 " Portion among thofe few, who Jhall walk with 
 *' Chrifi, in white, for they are worthy. Rev. iii. 4. 
 " To confider, that if they Zealoufly continue to 
 ^' maintain their Innocence and their good Works for 
 *' a few Years, they will foon be almoft out of the 
 *' Danger of Temptation ; they will efcape the 
 " bitter Pangs of Remorfe and Repentance ; they 
 '' will be wholly above that greateft of human Mi- 
 " feries, the Dread and Horrour of Death •, and may 
 *' not only without Fear, but even with exceeding 
 *' Joy, expe6l the Appearance of our Lord Jefiis Chrijt 
 *' at the Judgment of the Great Day, and in the 
 *' Glory of the World to come. And laftly, to 
 '^ confider that if they hold fafl the Confidence and Re- 
 *' joicing of their Hope, firm unto the End ; Heb. iii. 6, 
 *' they fliall be intitled to all thofe great and incon- 
 *' ceivable Promifes, v/hich our Saviour has made to 
 *' thofe who fhall overcome. Rev. ii. 7, 11. chap, 
 *' iii. 5, 12, 21." 
 
 In this or the like Manner, fhould all Parents inflrud 
 their Children, by way of Difcourfe and Convcrfation. 
 And here I would have finifbed what I had to fay upon 
 this Head, and proceeded no farther, if there were 
 not Two Things of the Greateft Confequence and 
 Importance to Religion, about which the Growing 
 Profanenefs and Impiety of the Age, fliould render all 
 of us deeply concerned ; and which fhould more 
 Particularly engage all Parents to ufe an Uncommon 
 Diligence and Induftry, in duly inftrucSting and firmly 
 grounding their Children in the Knowledge and Prac- 
 tice of them -, and therefore I hope the Reader will 
 the more readily excufeme, in putting him in Mind of 
 ;hemo 
 
 X 4 The 
 
312 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 The Firfi is. Concerning the Duty of attending dili- 
 gently and conftantly upon the Public Worfhip of God 
 at all the ftated Times and Seafons, but efpecially 
 upon the Lord's Day, which is Dedicated to this Pur - 
 pofe. The abfolute Indifpenfable Neceflity of this 
 Duty, the Ineftimable Benefits and Advantages of obferv- 
 ing it, the great Sin and Danger of negleding it, to- 
 gether with the Weaknefs and Folly of thofe Reafons 
 which are urged for fuch Negletl ; I have before con- 
 fidered at large in this Difcourfe (g) -, and therefore 
 fhaJl not mention any thing of them at prefent, but 
 refer the Reader to what hath been there delivered. 
 And the Shameful Manner in which the Public Wor- 
 fliip on the Lord's Day, is now negle6led by all Orders 
 and Degrees of Men, and efpecially by Perfons of 
 Fafhion and Diflin6lion •, by applying that Holy Sea- 
 fon to the paying of Vifits, to the keeping of Company, 
 and to Worldly Pleafure, is too Vifible to be deny'd ; 
 and is a Matter which deeply fhocks and confounds 
 the Ignorant, and forely grieves all that are Pious. And 
 therefore, if Parents are heartily defirous that their 
 Children Ihould not fall into this Snare, nor fplit upon 
 this Rock, whereon they will furely makeShipwrack of 
 their Immortal Souls ; they fhould be more than Or- 
 dinarily Diligent and Induftrious to inftrudt them well 
 and throughly, in'this Point •, and efpecially, when they 
 are going from them into the World, they fhould 
 give them mofl ftri(5lly in Charge, that they keep con- 
 ftantly to their Church, and never once omit the 
 Public Worfhip upon the Lord's Day, unlefs it be in 
 Cafe of Sicknefs, or abfolute Neceffity. And in Cafe 
 any of their Companions fhould entice them to negled 
 the Public Wor.4]ip at that Time, for the Sake of 
 Company or Worldly Pleafure j they fhould Peremp - 
 
 torily 
 
 {g) See above. Part theJI. chap- i; 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 313 
 torlly retule to comply with them, and look upon 
 fuch Perfons as the moft Dangerous Enemies they 
 have in the World, and avoid their Acquaintance and 
 Converfation, as they would the Plague. And in 
 order to confirm them in the Pradice of this Necef- 
 fary Duty ; they fhould not only fufficiendy inform 
 them, that the Public Worfhip of God is an Ejjential 
 Part of Religion, but they lliould alfo make them 
 perfedlly acquainted and convinced that the Laws of 
 God are abfolutely Indifpeniable -, and that we cannot 
 Wilfully hreak the leaft of His Com?nandments^ but at 
 the Peril of our Salvation ; that we mu^Love God with 
 all our Hearts and all our Souls ^ and in all Cafes prefer 
 His Worfhip and the Service we owe to Him, before 
 any Temporal Authority, Relation, Intereft, and 
 Worldly Pleafure. And Confequendy, unlefs we ad- 
 drefs ourfelves to Him with this Sincerity of Heart 
 and Purity of Intention ; our Prayers and Services, and 
 every Thing we do in Religion, will be fo fiir from ren- 
 dering us ^yell pleafmg in His Sight, that they will be an 
 Abomination to Him : all which the Reader v/ill 
 eafily perceive, who will confult the PafTages of Scrip- 
 ture cited in the Margin {h}. ^nd becaufe it often hap- 
 pens that Men are drawn into this Impious Pradice, 
 not fo much thro' any Vicious Inclinations of their 
 own, as becaufe they have not Courage and Refolu- 
 tion enough to withfland the Importunity and Ex- 
 ample of their Friends and Acquaintance, left they 
 Ihould be thought to affront them, and to be Precife 
 and Singular in their Opinions -, therefore Children 
 fhould be Earneftly cautioned againft this Dangerous 
 Compliance, and fhould be frequendy put in Mind of 
 that Wife and Excellent Law of God, Thou Jhalt not 
 
 follTJi} 
 
 {h) PA^l. ciii. 19. I Tim. vi. 15. Jam. iv. 12. Matt. v. ig 
 Jgm. ii. 10. Matt, xxil 37, 38. Luk. X. 42. Pfal. xxvii. L 
 Matt. XVI. 24. Matt. x. 33, 37. Luk. xiv. 26. i Cor, .%. 31. 
 Luk. XI. 34, 35. Prov. XV, 8, $>. chap, xxviii. 9. 
 
314 ^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 follow a Multitude to do Evil, Exod, xxiii. 2 {i). 
 and how folemnly our Lord hath declared, that who- 
 foever fhall he ajhamed of Him in this Adulterous and 
 Sinful Generation^ of him alfo fhall the Son of Man be a- 
 Jhamed^ when he cometh in the Glory of His Father and the 
 Holy Angels, Mar, viii. 38. and alfo that in the Dread- 
 ful Account which the Apoflle gives us of Future 
 Punifhment, the Fearfd^ (i. e, thofe who renounce the 
 Chriftian Faith, or decline any NecefTary and Eflential 
 Part of their Duty, thro' fear of Humane Punifnment, 
 Cenfure, and DifgraceJ are ranked firfl in the Black 
 and Difmal Catalogue of the pamned. Rev. xxi. 8. 
 And to fay no more ; lince tiic main Artifice and De- 
 vice, by which the Devil draws Men into this Negledl, 
 is the Pretence that God does not want our Prayers, 
 and that the Difcharge of Moral and Social Duties will 
 fufficiently recommend us to His Favour , therefore 
 they fhould fhey/- their Children the great Weaknefs 
 of this Pretence, and that it comes with an 111 Grace 
 from thofe who habitually negled God^s Public Wor- 
 fhip •, who are fo far from being entitled to a Greater 
 Perfedlion in Moral Duties than their Neighbours, that, 
 for the moll Part, they are moft fhamefully and noto- 
 rioufly Wanting and Deficient in them {k). And 
 
 moreover 
 
 [i) Let us again and again aflure our felv€s of this great Truth, 
 and always keep it in mind, viz. that no Cuftom or Falhion, no 
 common Praftice or even Authority in the Whole World, can 
 render any thing innocent, or be a jufl Excufe for it, if it be 
 found to be contrary unto any Part of that Law, (rightly under- 
 ilood) which God hath given us as a Conftant Rule to walk by. 
 Archbijhop Synge's Rule of Self-Examinationy &c. />. 27. 
 
 {k) Thofe who have negledled all External Religion have been 
 fo far from improving, (as might reafonably be expelled, fmce they 
 profefs to have nothing elfe to mind,) that, except in a few In- 
 itances, they rather decline in their Zeal for the Pradlice of that 
 Moral Virtue, which they are fo forward to magnify to the utter 
 'Difparagement of every thing elfe ; they have, I fay, rather de- 
 clined in their Zeal for the Practice even of Vioral Virtue, in Pro- 
 portion 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 31^ 
 
 moreover, it ihould be well and deeply imprinted upon 
 their Minds, that Piety or the Worfhip of God is 
 an Eflential Part of Religion, as well as Morality ; 
 nay, to fpeak more properly, is a Chief and Principal 
 Point of Morality itfelf ; and therefore how great 
 foever their Attainments may be in Temperance and 
 Sobriety, and in all Social Duties ; yet without a 
 Conftant and Regular Attendance upon the Public 
 Worfhip, they will be utterly in Vain, and InefFedlual to 
 their Salvation (/). Innumerable PalTages might be 
 produced out of our moft Learned Writers to this 
 purpofe ; but 1 will not trouble the Reader with them 
 at prefent, having faid enough of this Matter already. 
 I fliall only mention the Excellent Words of a moft 
 Eminent and Judicious Divine upon this Occafion ; 
 who ("with feme others of his Time) was thought to 
 infift and enlarge upon the NecefTity and Importance 
 of Moral Duties, to the Difadvantage of the peculiar 
 Dodlrines and Duties of the Holy Gofpel. And after 
 having in a moft lively Manner defcribed the Necef- 
 fity and Excellency of Moral Duties, he proceeds 
 thus ; " The pofitive Parts of Religion are our 
 " Duty, as well as thefe, and God by His Sove- 
 " reign Authority exacts them at our Hands ; and 
 " unlefs when Jefus Chrift hath been fufficiendy pro- 
 
 *' pofed to us, we fmcerely believe in Him. • 
 
 *' Unlefs we ftrike Covenant with Him by Baptifm, 
 " and frequently renew that Covenant in the Lord's 
 " Supper, — Unlefs we diligently attend on the Pub- 
 
 ^' lie Aflemblies of His Worftiip there is no 
 
 Pretence 
 
 portion as they have grown cold and remifs with refpeft to the 
 Solemn Worfhip of their Maker, and the Inilrumental Duties of 
 P[ety. Fojier's Sermons, p, 153,154. See alfo p. 11$, of this 
 Treat if e, 
 (l) See above, p. 104, &c^ 
 
-'o i6 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 ^' Pretence of Morality will bear us out, when we 
 *' appear before His Dread Tribunal (;w)," 
 
 Secondly^ ^he next Particular, in which the Growing 
 Profanenefs and Impiety of the Age renders it highly 
 NecefTary for all Parents with more than Ordinary 
 Care and Diligence to inftrud their Children ; is the 
 Honour and Reverence which they owe to the Mini- 
 fters of God's Word. This is a Point which all Na- 
 tions in the World both Jews and Heathens did for 
 many Ages obferve •, there being nothing in which 
 they more univerfdly agreed, than in having the 
 Priefts in great Eftimation [n] •, and this out of a 
 Due Regard and Reverence to God Himfelf ; accord- 
 ing to that Wife Inflradion of the Son of Sir achy 
 Fear God, and Honour the Prieft, Eccluf, vii. 3 1 . And 
 this God hath exprefsly required and well provided 
 for, both under the Old and New Teftament [0), Now 
 the Reafons upon which we are to pay this Honour 
 and Reverence to the Minifters of God's Word, are 
 chiefly thefe two. Firft, The Confideration, of that 
 great Mailer to whom they belong. Thus fays St PauU 
 Let a Man fo account of usy as of the Minifters of Chrift;^ 
 and Stewards of the Myfleries of God. i Cor, iv. i . 
 A.nd cur Bleffed Saviour obferves upon this Account, 
 that God will take thofe Affronts and Injuries which are 
 offered to His Minifters, and as heinoufly refent them, 
 as if they were immediately put upon Himfelf i He 
 that defpifeth you defpifeth Me, and he that defpifeth Me 
 defpifeth Htm thatfent Me» Luke x. 1 6. And the Pro- 
 phet 
 
 (;;/) Dr Scott's Chriilian Life, Vol. IT. p. 68. See alfo Bifiop 
 Gihfoyh Second Paftoral Letter, p. 64, to 68. 
 
 («) I'i the Reader wants any Information in this Matter, Jet him 
 confult Dr Hickes's Excellent Treatife on the Chriftian Priellhood, 
 &c. Scott's Chriflian Life Vol. III. chap, vii. §. 3. p. 130, &c. 
 l^,.dfon on the Fealls and Fafts, p. 550, k^c, in which there are 
 many good Colledjons out of Holy Scripture and antient Authors 
 to this Purpofe. 
 
 \o) See l^elfon ibid. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 317 
 phet Jeremy long before, lamenting the heavy Ano-er 
 of God againfl the Jews^ mentions this as one great 
 Caufe of it, vi%. that ihey RefpeBed not the Perfons of 
 ihePriefts^ nor favoured the Elders {f). Lam. iv, 16. But, 
 
 Secondly^ The other Ground and Reafon of honour- 
 ing and reverencing the Miniflers of God's Word, is 
 the Confideradon of that Glorious and BlefTed Office 
 which they are employed in. Thus St Paul requires 
 the '^heffalomans to efteem their Minifters very highly in 
 Love for their Works Sake, i 1'hejf.v, 13. and tells 
 timothy that the Elders that rule well Jhould be accounted 
 worthy of double Honour^ efpecially they who labour in the 
 Word and DoBrlne. i Tim. v. 17. i\nd the flime 
 Apoftle exhorting the Philippians to receive Epaphrodi- 
 tus^ on the Account of his Extraordinary Zeal and 
 Diligence in the Chridian Miniftry \ direds them at 
 the fame time to hold fuch in Reputation. Phil, lu 
 29, 30. And this is the true Reafon why I take No- 
 tice of this Matter at prefent, and earneftly recom- 
 mend it to the Thoughts and Confideration of all 
 Parents : fince, if they cannot bring their Children to 
 have a due Efteem and Reverence for the Perfons of the 
 Clergy, they will infallibly defpife their Inftrudions, 
 and loofe all the Benefit of their Labours. The Con- 
 nexion between Reverence to Mens Perfons, and a Re- 
 gard to their Advice and Counfel is fo very obvious 
 and manifeft •, that we find it hath been the Senfe 
 and Judgment of all Nations, to demand an un- 
 common Degr-ee {q) of Refped even to the Teachers 
 
 of 
 
 (p) Hac Gentes exprobahant Hebrais ; nulla, dicehanty [pes eji 
 illis reditws : Etiam in bonos facerdotes fAZ'ierunt. Grot, in loc, 
 (^) Dii Majorum umhrii tenuem (^ fine pondere terramy 
 Spirantefque crocos <^ in urnJiperfetuunt Vert 
 ^(i PrAceptorem San^l voluere parentis^ 
 E/f'e loco. Juvenal Sat. Vir> 
 
 1. 206,- ^c. Vid. Lubini Annotat. in loc. 
 
 AH Perfons in the happy Ages of Rome, h^d the fame Honour 
 *nd Refpe<5l for theif Teachers, as Verfui had for his Mailer Cor- 
 
320 A Difconrfe concerning the 
 
 by them ; the innumerable and excellent Books which 
 they have pubhflied in all Parts ot Ufeful Learning, 
 as well Claffical and Hiftorical, P hilofophical and Ma- 
 thematical, as in Theology and Morality ; the reitlefs 
 and unwearied Labours and Endeavours of many of 
 them for the Good of Souls-, and particularly, the brave 
 and generous Stand which they made by their Immortal 
 Writings and Invincible Courage and Patience in a late 
 Critical J iinclurc^ when our Religion^ Lazvs^ and Liberties 
 were in extreme Danger: Ihould be moil gratefully re- 
 membered by the People of this Land, and for ever 
 endear and recommend that Sacred Order to the Love 
 and Efteem, the Honour and Veneration of all true 
 Proteftants and EngViJhmerL And fo I proceed to the 
 "^hird Way and Method which Parents fhculd make 
 Ufeof in the Religious Education of Children •,. and 
 that is, by obliging them frequently to read pious and 
 good Books, and efpecially the Holy Scriptures. And 
 the Advantages of this Method are great and unfpeak- 
 able, not only on the Account of thofe early Infrrudions 
 which Children will receive from fuch Books, which 
 v/ill make a deeper and more lafting Impreflion upon 
 them j but alfo, inafmuch as being from the Beginning 
 accuftomed to read them, and being made fenfible of 
 the Benefit and Delight in fo doing, they will be na- 
 turally difpofed and inclined to read them for ever 
 afterwards \ for the want of v/hich, many Perfons 
 who employ many Hours in reading, have contradled 
 an Averfion to fuch Books, as thinking them to be of 
 fmall Moment and Importance, and can never be 
 brought throughout their whole Lives to fpend any 
 confiderable Time in the Perufal of them. And that 
 Children may reap the greater Profit and Advantage 
 from reading the Holy Scriptures j Parents fhould 
 oblige their Children as often as may be, to read the 
 bed and moft ufeful Portions thereof in their own 
 Prefence, and as far as they are able, fhould explain 
 
 the 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lord's Day. 321 
 
 the Senfe and^ Meaning thereof to them, and raife 
 proper and fiiitable Thoughts and Obfervations from 
 every Part of them. Thus when they read the Hif- 
 tory of the Creation in Geii- i. they fliould briefly re- 
 prefent to them the Infinite Wifdom, Power and 
 Goodnefs of God, in making this Excellent Frame 
 of Things out of Nothing, in the Enriching it every 
 where with His Bleffings, and in adapting all the 
 Parts thereof, to their refpedive and noble Ufes and 
 Defigns •, and thereby they fhould put them in Mind 
 how much they ought to love and fear and adore fo 
 Great and Excellent a Being. When they read the 
 dreadful Account of God'sWrath and Vengeance agiinft 
 Sin, m drov/ning the Old World with the Flood, Gen. 
 vii. in the burning of Sodom and Gcmorrah with Brim- 
 fione and Fire from Heaven^ Gen. xix. and in tlie ter- 
 rible Deftrudion of Jenifdem^ predided and de- 
 fcribed by our Saviour in Matt. xxiv. and in 
 Luke xxi. they fhould make them fenfible of 
 the great Danger of Sin, and that v/ithout a fpeedy 
 and effedual Repentance it is impoITible for Wicked 
 Men to efcape the Severity of His Juftice. When 
 they read the Account of the ilrange Deliverance of 
 the Ifraelites out of Egypt^ their wonderful PaiTage 
 thro' the Red Sea, and the many and great Miracles 
 v/hich God wrought for them in the Wildernefs, as 
 they are recorded in Exodus., and the follo>ving Books of 
 Scripture ; they fliould put them in Mind of the great 
 Power and Goodnefs of God in protecling and fup- 
 porting them that ferve and fear Him : and confe- 
 quently that if they will conftantly depend upon His 
 Good Providence^ in a Faithful Difcharge of their 
 Duty, there is no State and Condition of this Life fo 
 adverfe and calamitous, but God will for the prefent 
 comfort them under it, and in His own good Time 
 deliver them out of it ; for He hath never once failed 
 them that feek Him. Pfahn ix.- 10. When they read of 
 Abraham's great and ready Faith in going oul of his 
 
 * own 
 
20 A Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 by them ; the innumerable and e^tcellenc Books which 
 they have pubhfhed in all Parts of Uleful Learning, 
 as well ClalTical and Hiftorical, Philofophical and Ma- 
 themadcal, as in Theology and Morality ; the reltlefs 
 and unwearied Labours and Endeavours of many of 
 them for the Good of Souls-, and parucularly, the brave 
 and generous ^tand which they made by their Immortal 
 Writings and Invincible Courage and Patience in a late 
 Critical Junclure^ when our Religion^ Laws^ and Liberties 
 were m extreme Danger: ihould be moil gratefully re- 
 membered by the People of this Land, and for ever 
 endear and recommend that Sacred Order to the Love 
 and Efteem, the Honour and Veneration of all true 
 Proteftants and Englijhmen, And fo I proceed to the 
 I'hird Way and Method which Parents fhculd make 
 Ufeof in the Religious Education of Children •,. and 
 that is, by obliging them frequendy to read pious and 
 good Books, and efpecially the Holy Scriptures. And 
 the Advantages of this Method are great and unfpeak- 
 able, not only on the Account of thofe early Inlrruclions 
 which Children will receive from fuch Books, which 
 v/ill make a deeper and more lafting Impreflion upon 
 them •, but alfo, inafmuch as being from the Beginning 
 accuftomed to read them, and being made fenfible of 
 the Benefit and Delight in fo doing, they will be na- 
 turally difpofed and inclined to read them for ever 
 afterwards •, for the want of v/hich, many Perfons 
 who employ many Hours in reading, have contradled^ 
 an Averfion to fuch Books, as thinking them to be of 
 fmall Moment and Importance, and can never be 
 brought throughout their whole Lives to fpend any 
 confiderable Time in the Perufal of them. And that 
 Children may reap the greater Profit and Advantage 
 from reading the Holy Scriptures -, Parents fhould 
 oblige their Children as often as may be, to read the 
 beft and moft uleful Portions thereof in their own 
 Prefence, and as far as they are able, fhould explain 
 
 the 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the LorcrsDay. '321 
 
 the Senfe and Meaning thereof to them, and raife 
 proper and fiiitable Thoughts and Obfervations from 
 every Part of them. Thus when they read the Hif- 
 tory of the Creation :n Gen. i. they fn ould briefly re- 
 prefent to them the Infinite Wifdom, Power and 
 Goodnefs of God, in making this Excellent Frame 
 of Things out of Nothing, in the Enriching it every 
 where with His BlefTings, and in adapting all the 
 Parts thereof, to their refpedive and noble Ufes and 
 Defigns •, and thereby they ihould put them in Mind 
 how much they ought to love and fear and adore fo 
 Great and Excellent a Being. When they read the 
 dreadful Account of God'sWrath and Vengeance ag.iinft 
 Sin, in dx^ov/ning the Old World with the Floods Gen, 
 vii. in the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah with Brim- 
 ftone and Fire from Heaven^ Gen, xix. ?.nd in the ter- 
 rible Deftrudion of Jenifrdem., predided and de- 
 fcribed by our Saviour in Matt, xxiv. and in 
 Luke xxi. they ihould make them fenfible of 
 the great Danger of Sin, and that without a fpeedy 
 and effectual Repentance it is impoITible for Wicked 
 Men to efcape the Severity of His Juilice. When 
 they read the Account of the ftrange Deliverance of 
 the Ifraelites out of Egypt^ their wonderful PafiG^e 
 thro' the Red Sea^ and the many and great Miracles 
 which God wrought for them in the Wildernefs, as 
 they are recorded in Exodus, and tht foilo\ving Books of 
 Scripture ; they Hiould put them in Mind of the great 
 Power and Goodnefs of God in protecling and fup- 
 porting them that ferve and fear Him : and conle- 
 quently . that if they will conftantly depend upon His 
 Good Providence, in a Faithful Difcharge of their 
 Duty, there is no State and Condition of this Life fo 
 adverfe and calamitous, but God will for the prefent 
 comfort them under it, and in His own good Time 
 deliver them out of it ; for He hath never once failed 
 them that feek Him. Pfalm ix.- 10. When they read of 
 Abraham's great and ready Faith in going oul of his 
 
 Y own 
 
322 ADifcourfe concerning the 
 
 own Country at God's Appointment, tho' he knew 
 not whither he went. Heh. xi. 8. Gen, xii. they fhould 
 well inform them of God's Supreme Wifdom as well 
 as Sovereignty and Dominion -, and that it is not only 
 our bounden Duty to obey God always v/ithout Re- 
 ferve, but in all Cafes to think that to be beft for us 
 v;hichhe appoints, tho' we may not be able to difcover 
 the Reafons and Fitnefs of it. And from the furprizing 
 Faith and Piety of the fame Perfon in chearfully offer- 
 ing up his only Son at God's Com.mand, Gen. xxii. they 
 fhould not only inftruft them in the indifpenfable Duty 
 of Obedience to the Commands of God, but alio 
 that they fhould be at all Times ready and wil- 
 ling to ficrihce their deareft Interefts in this World 
 to His V/ill and Pieafure. When they read the Hi- 
 ftory of Jofeplfs being fold into a Foreign Country, 
 his hard Fate and cruel Treatment there in the Prifon, 
 and his future glorious Advancement in the Kingdom 
 of Egypt^ defcribed in Gen. xxxvii. and the follow- 
 ing Chapliers •, they fhould well difplay and reprefent 
 to their Minds, the Wifdom and Goodnefs of Divine 
 Pi*cvidence in the Protection and Bleffing of Righ- 
 teous and Good Men, and in bringing Good out of 
 Evil •, and they fiiould more particularly fhew them 
 from this remarkable Inftance ; that many times in 
 thofe Things, which feem to Men to be moft unfortu- 
 nate and calamitous, their trued and greateft Happinels 
 does confift. And from the firm and iledfaft Refolu- 
 tion of this Excellent Perfon in withftanding the Temp- 
 tation of his Miilrefs, chap, xxxix. and the Heroic 
 inflexible Courage of the Three Worthies of Babylon^ 
 T)an. III. they fhould let them fee the abfolute Necei- 
 fity and Wifdom, of trulling in God in the greatefl Ex- 
 tremities, and that it is the Height of Folly and Mad- 
 nefs to have Recourfe to any Sinful Compliances, in 
 order to deliver themfelves from the Fear and Power 
 of Men. And as Parents fliould from thefe and 
 fuch like Paffages in Scripture- Hiftory inflrud their 
 
 Children 
 
Religious Obfervation of /y6^ Lord's Day. 323 
 
 Children in the NecefTity and Wifdom of ierving God 
 and depending upon His Providence, and living in th^. 
 Pradlice of Religion and Virtue ; fo from the feveral 
 and remarkable Examples of God's V/riith and Ven- 
 geance againft Sinners, they fliould caution them a- 
 gainft thofe particular Sins and Vices v/hich they ob- 
 ierve there to be fo vifibly and feverely punilhed. 
 Thus from the terrible Punifhment inflidled upon the 
 Man that gathered Sticks on the Sahhath Day^ Numb, xv. 
 32, ^c, they fhould reprefent to them, the much 
 greater Guilt and Danger of profaning the Lord's 
 Day, (as it is now too commonly done) by the Ne- 
 gledt of God's Worfhip, and by the Pleafures of Sin, 
 From the heavy Judgment executed upon Corah and 
 his Accomplices, _]Slumh. xvi. and the remarkable 
 Punifhment of Uzziah King of Judah^ for invading 
 the Prieft's Office, 2 Chron, xxvi. t6, ^r. they jfhould 
 ihew them the great Sin and Danger of Ufurping the 
 Sacred Offices and Fun6tions without Divine Warrant 
 and Authority. When they read the Hiflory of Ahab 
 in deliring Naboth^s Vineyard, i Kings xxi. they fhould 
 fhew them the great Sin and Danger of Coveting 
 their Neighbour's Goods. And from the remarkable 
 and fignal Manner of his Punifhment, ver. 19. and 
 that of Jdonibezekj Judges i. 5, &'c, they fliould 
 manifeft to them the Righteoufnefs and Jufbice of 
 God in the Retaliation of Evil. From the Examples 
 of Achan^ Jojhua vii. and Ananias and Sapphira^ Auls 
 V. they fhould make them fenfible of the heinous Sin 
 of Sacrilege. And from the exemplary Judgment of 
 Beljhazzar^ King of Babylon^ for ufmg the VelTels of 
 the Temple, at a Common Feaft, Ban. v. they 
 fnould Ihew them the great Sm and Danger of pro- 
 faning Holy Things, And becaufe it is thro' the 
 Want of Divine Grace and AfTillance, that Men are 
 expofedto the Power of Temptation •, therefore from 
 the Fatal Example of Peter'* s Fall, and the bitter Re- 
 f'en'a'nce it coft hini to be recovered from it. Matt. xxvi. 
 
 T 2 they 
 
224 ^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 ^hey fliould earnefcly reprefent to them the great 
 Foily and Danger of trulling to their own Strength, 
 widiout a conftant and humble Dependence upon God, 
 and the Grace of His Holy and BleiTed Spirit. It 
 would be an endlefs Thing to fet before the Reader 
 the many great and famous Examples of God's Love 
 and Favour to good Men, and His Severe and Ex- 
 emplary^ F'uniflim.ent of the Wicked, which are re- 
 corded in Scripture for our Inflrudtion and Admoni- 
 tion. From what hath been here obferved, all Pa- 
 rents may clearly perceive in what Manner they fhould 
 inflrucf their Children in the Knowledge of Holy 
 Scripture, i:vz. not only by obliging them barely to 
 read the Bible in their Prefence, (which is all that is 
 commonly done in this Cafe) but alfo by raifmg 
 proper and fuitable Inftrudlions and Obfervations 
 from the chief and principal Parts of them. And of 
 hov/ great Service and Benefit to Youth thefe early 
 Inftrudions from Scripture-Hiftory muft be, is evi • 
 dent to every one : What an Eminent Writer (s) hath 
 ©bferved upon one particular Inftance of Scripture- 
 Hiftory, being juftly applicable to every Part of it. 
 " The ferious Reader \ faith he) will rcfledl how ob- 
 '• vious it is to infer upon this Occafion f^the Hiftory 
 " of ^cdG7n) the great Wifdom of early inftrudling 
 '' and enuring Children to read the Scriptures •, efpe- 
 " ciallythofe Fliftoricai Parts of them, which render 
 '' the Examples of Piety and Virtue fo veryamiable,and 
 ''• the Examples of Vice and Irreligion fo deteftable ; 
 *"' that whilft they are delighting their Hearts with the 
 '^ moil pleafing, the mofl: engaging Hiftories that ever 
 ^' Vv^eie penned, they are -3^ the lame Time filling them 
 " with the Love of every Virtue, and the Abhor- 
 ^' rencc ot every Vice, they are at the fame Time 
 ^^^ CFilarging and -ennobling their Souls." And thus 
 Parents fhould duly and carefully inftrud their Chil- 
 dren 
 
 f^) Revelation Examlnsdwkh Candour, Vol.11, p. 213 214 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 325 
 
 dren in the Knowledge of Religion, by way of Ca- 
 techifing diem, and by frequent Difcourfe and 
 Converfation with them, and by obliging them dili- 
 gently to read the Scriptures. I fhall only before I 
 proceed to fhew the NecefTity and Advantage of fiich 
 Inftru6lion, briefly take Notice of one Pardcular, 
 in which Parents fhould be exceedingly careful to in- 
 ilrud their Children by all Manner of Ways polTible ; 
 and which they fnould deephy imprint upon theii* 
 Minds ; becaufe it is EfTential and Fundamental to t'^i^ 
 Chriftian Religion, and becaufe their Ignorance and 
 Miftake in this Matter will be' Fatal, and render all 
 their Inftrudions in other Points of Chrifiian Know- 
 lege of no Ufe and Service to them -, and that is, the 
 Doctrine of our Blefled Saviour's Mediation, which 
 confifts in this, that He is the Surety or Mediator 
 of the New Covenant, Hch, xii. 24. by which He 
 hath obtained of His Father the Pardon of our Sins, 
 the Grace of the Holy Spirit, and Eternal Life, A^is 
 iii. 19. Luke xi. 13. Rev. ii. 10. on Condition of 
 our Repentance, Faith, and fincere Obedience : and 
 that this Gracious Covenant fo obtained oi God for 
 us, He hath purchafed with His own m.ofb precious 
 Blood. Acts XX. 28. Hek'i^. 15 (/). I iliall not at 
 prefent enlarge upon thefe Points, having before fnewa 
 the Neceffity {u) of Chrijfs Death for the Atonem.ent 
 and Expiadon of Sin •, and to fupport the Honcur 
 and Dignity of God's Government -; and alfo briefly 
 intimated how forcibly the Ineftimable Value of His 
 Sufferings, fthey being the Sufferings of one who was 
 as truly God, as He was truly Man, Ac'Isxx. 28, i Jobu 
 iii. 16,) reprefents to us the great Heinoufnels and 
 
 Y 3 Danger 
 
 (/) Fia. Scoti's Chriftian Life, Vol. III. p. ig. 
 (u) See above ^ Part II. chap, iii p. 245, ^c. 
 
326 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Danger of Sin {x), as well as the amazing Love 
 o^Chrlft in dying for us. And the Great BlefTings of this 
 Covenant which C/?n"/? hath purchafed with His Blood, 
 and the unfpeakable Advantages (y) of His Intercef- 
 fion, v/hich is grounded thereupon, Rom. viii. 34. 
 Heh. ix. II, 12. are fo very evident and manifeft, 
 that no Man who believes the Holy Scriptures, and is 
 in any Meafure acquainted with them, can pofTibly be 
 infenfible thereof. All therefore that I fhall obferve 
 upon this Occafion, is the abfolute NecelTity of early 
 inftrudling Children, and throughly grounding them 
 in the Belief of this Do6lrine of Cbrift's Mediation ; 
 and that upon the Account of fome danger op.s Do6trines 
 and Principles, lately advanced and induftrioufly fpread 
 throughout the Kingdom, which place the whole of 
 
 Religion 
 
 {x) If the Relation between Sin and Punifliment had not been 
 flrift and indiffbluble ; one of our Saviour's Confequencet the 
 Brightnefs of the Father's Glory and the exprefs Image of His Per- 
 fon^ Iiad never in all likelihood been made a Sacrifice. If a little 
 Matter would have made up the Breach between Heavemn^ Earthy 
 fome one among the Sons of Men, diftinguifhed for Wifdom and 
 Virtue, might have been employed in the Mi?iijiry of Reconcilia- 
 tion : but fince /^as the Pfalmijl fpeakf, xlix, 7.) None of them can 
 redeem his Brother^ nor give unto God a Rarfom for him \ the Ter- 
 Tours of Guilt are greatly magnified by the prefent Method of For- 
 givenefs. Or however at leaft, if the Sons of Men were all too 
 much Partakers of their common Corruption, to be duly qualified 
 for this Mighty Office of Mediation and Atonement \ yet fome 
 of thofe Minijlring Spirits, thofe Sons of the Mornings who fland 
 Tound about the Throne of God continually y might one would 
 imagine, have engaged with Succefs in it. But in admitting a 
 Vicarious Satis faction, the Wifdom of God fingled out for Himfelf 
 an Offering of the very pureft Sort, the Firft in Rank and Dignity 
 within His Court, and one whom all His Angels tuorjlrip. Where- 
 fore, tho' with refpeft to any Payment made by us or by our Pro- 
 curement, we were Redeemed without Money ; yet the Price of our 
 Redemption^ as paid by the Saviour of the World fliould mightily 
 enhance to us, both the Malignity ofSin^ and the Holinejs of Gcd 
 it's yfvenger. Dr Mzr^hz-Ws Sermons Tol. III. p. 43,44, 
 
 (y) SeeScctt^s Chrillian Life, Vol. III. p, 33, 34. in which 
 there is an Excellent Pallage to this Purpofe. 
 
' ReligiGiis Ob/ervafion of the Lord's Day. 327 
 
 Religion in Morality^ and which reprefent our Blefied 
 Saviour to be no more than a Propliet, who was lent 
 to reform the Errours and Corruptions of tlie Jeu-s^ 
 and to inftrudl Mankind more fully and perfectly in 
 Moral and Social Duties. The great Danger and 
 Mifchief of which Scheme of Religion, confiih in 
 thefe three Things. Firft, That hereby we deftroy 
 one of the moil powerful and prevailing Motives to the 
 Pradlice of Virtue, which is dra\A4n from the Dignity 
 of (z) Chrift's Perfon, and the Ineflimable Value and 
 Merit of His Sufferings (a), together with the Necef- 
 fity and Advantage of His Death and InterceiTion -, 
 the Force and Efficacy of which Motives have been 
 before confidered. Secondly^ In the pkcing the whole 
 of Religion in Moral and Social Duties : VV^hereas it is 
 very clear and plain from Holy Scripture, that Faith 
 in Chrift, and in the Dcftrines which He hath reveal- 
 ed, is as neceifary to (h) Salvation, as the Performance 
 of Moral Duties •, and moreover, that Men are not only 
 unable to difcharge their Duty wilhout the Grace and 
 AfTiftance of Cbrift, Johnxv. 5. Phil, iv. 13, but alfo, that 
 fince God hath made a nev/ Covenant with Mankind, 
 by a Mediator of His own Appointment, JcJs ii. 36. 
 V. 31. FhiL ii. 9, 8V. in which He hath heightened 
 the Pradice of Moral Virtue, and eftabliilied our 
 Duty upon new Principles and Motives thereto •, there 
 is no other Obedience will be acceptable to God (trom 
 fuch I mean, to whom the Gofpel of Chrijl is duly 
 preached; but what is grounded upon, ^nd derived 
 Y 4. froni 
 
 (z) Tho' the Condition of the Per/m alters not the Nature of 
 the Authority he is veiled with ; yet in the Efiimation of Men, 
 the fame Authority is more or lefs venerable, according as the 
 Quality and Condition of the l^erfom cloathed with it is more or 
 3cfs cojifiderahle. Dr Scott'i Chnfitan Life, Fol. III. p, 26. 
 
 {a) See Rom. xiv. 15. Phil, ii. 5, &c. 
 
 {h) Matt. X. 32, 33. MarkViii. 38. John iii. 16, i John^. 
 10. A^s iv. 12 to 21, 
 
328 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 from thefe Motives and Principles, and is offered up 
 to God tliro' Faith in Chr'ift^ and in an humble and 
 grateful R.eliance upon the Merits of His Death and 
 PafTion {c). And then, in the T'hird Place^ There is 
 this great and fatal Mifchief attends this Scheme of 
 Religion, viz. that fuppofmg the Difcharge of Moral 
 Datits would of itfelf recommend us to the Love and 
 Favour of God •, yet we cannot perform, thofe Duties 
 in fich Ferfedlion, as the Law of God requires of us. 
 The Obedience, of the beft Men is accompanied with 
 many Failings and Infirmities, and fometimes with 
 great Sins and TranfgreiTions : it being in a great 
 Meafure true of the moll Virtuous Men, that their 
 Righteoufnefs in God's Sight is but as filthy Ra^s^ as the 
 Prophet fpeaks. Ifa, Ixiv. 6. and as the Wife Man 
 obferves, there is not a juft Man upon Earth that doth 
 good and finneth not, Ecclefi vii. 20 {d). And 
 therefore their beft Performances cannot entitle them 
 to God's Favour,' upon any other Principle, than 
 That perfe6i: and compleat Obedience which Chrift 
 paid to the Law of God : which perfe6l Obedience 
 ihall be imputed unto all Men, who fencer ely and 
 faithjully endeavour to ferve God, and to keep His 
 Commandments. For thus the Apoftle obferves. As 
 hy one Mans Difohedience many were made Sinners, fo 
 hy the Obedience of one, Jloall many he made Righteous, 
 Rein. V. 19. By which Obedience, is not only meant 
 the Death of Chrift, which the Apoftle elfewhere 
 calis by this ^erm, Phil. ii. 8. and by the Merits of 
 
 which 
 
 [c) Via. Scoffs Cliriflian Life, Vol. HI. p. 2, 3. Bifhop 
 'Gib/on s Second Paftoral Letter, p. 64. to 68. 
 
 [d) ^^upnqukm peccatum efTe non poteft niii quod llbere fit, ab 
 omni tauien -jmnino pc cato k H ii-per abftinere fupra humanam 
 eft conditionem ; unde cogna^ii :* hcmini efle peccare, inter Ph'loro- 
 phos Sopater, Hierode.-, Seneca, inter Judasos Philo, inter Hiftoricos 
 Thucydides, inter Chriillanos plurimi prodideruiit. Grot, de Jure 
 Belli & Pads lib.ii. c^p xx. $'. 19. Fid.loc, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 329 
 
 which we are abfolved from the Guilt of our Sins ; 
 but alfo the abfolutt Righteoufnefs of Chrift^ His a5iual 
 and perfe5l Obedience to the Law of God, for the Sake 
 of which^ God v/ill accept of our weak and imperfect 
 Obedience, if it is offered up to Him in Faithfulnels 
 and Sincerity {e). For otherwife, it would be but of 
 little Service to us to be abfolved from our Sins, and 
 to have them wajhed away in the Blood of Chrift, Rev, 
 i. 5. if afterwards God fhould rigor oujly infift upon 
 that Perfeol Obedience v/hich the Law requires^ and 
 Ihould not upon the Account of Chrift^'s ahfolute Righ- 
 teoufnefs^ connive at our Failings, and accept of our 
 fincere t'^o* imperfeB Obedience. And therefore, if 
 Parents heartily defire that their Children fhould re- 
 ceive any true Benefit and Advantage from their Re- 
 ligious Education of them, they muft not content 
 themfelves with barely exhorting them to be honeft 
 and good Men in their Dealings with the World ; 
 but muft alfo inftrud them throughly, and ground 
 them deeply in the Belief of the Dodirine of Chrifl\ 
 Mediation: and let them know, that as they ever 
 hope to obtain the Pardon of their Sins, and the 
 Grace of the Holy Spirit, and to have their weak and 
 imperfeB Endeavours accepted by God ar.d rewarded 
 by Him ; they muft firmly believe in Chrifl the Sa- 
 viour of the World, and offer up all their Prayers, 
 Services, and Obedience to God, throughFaith in Him, 
 and in the Infinite Merits of His Death and Paflion : 
 and that becaufe there is no other Name under Heaven 
 ^iven among Men^ whereby we muft he faved. Atfs iv. 
 \ 2 . And thus much concerning the firft Particular, 
 viz, wherein the Religious Education of Children 
 doth confift. I proceed in the, 
 
 Second Place^ To Ihew the abfolute NeceiTity and 
 unfpeakable Advantage of luch Education. Now 
 
 the 
 
 (e) Sue Biihop Beverid.^e''& Thoughts on Religion, Part I. Ar- 
 tick Yin, 
 
330 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 the great Benefit and Advantage of a Religious Edu- 
 cation of Youth, is in general very evident and mani- 
 feft ; fmce hereby they are brought up in that 
 good Way, which they fhould v/alk in, and inftru6t- 
 ed in thofe good Principles, and trained up in thofe 
 'Habits of Virtue, upon which their Happinefs entirely 
 depends. But this v/e fhall the more fully and clearly 
 perceive, if we confider the Advantage of fuch Edu- 
 cation in thefe three particular Refpeds. 
 
 Firfi^ In that the Knowledge and Learning, which 
 is ufually conveyed to Children by a good Education, 
 does very much ilrengthen ( f) and improve the Na^ 
 tural Talents and Faculties of the Mind, which God 
 hath planted there for our Dire6i:ion and Proficiency in 
 Moral Virtue. And how great foever our Natural 
 Capacities and Abilities may be, yet unlefs they are 
 duly improved and enlarged by good Education and 
 Exercife ; they will enable us to make but very few 
 Difcoveries which are of any Ufe and Importance to us. 
 And tho' the Natural Inclinations of Men to Vice are 
 llrong and powerful, infomuch that it is a Matter of 
 Ibme DifHculty to inilrud: and exercife Youth in Moral 
 Virtue, and render the Pradice of it delightful to 
 them (g) ; yet this DiiHculty is mainly owing to a 
 bad Education, and to the Strength and Force of 
 Vicious Habits, which are the greateft Obflacle and 
 Impediment to the Succcfs and Efiicacy of good 
 Counfel. And notwithflanding the melancholy Com- 
 plaints of the great Number of Vicious and Profligate 
 Youth in the Nation j yet I verily believe, the greatefl 
 
 Part 
 
 (f) Doflrina fed vim promovet infitam, 
 Reftique cultus pe6^ora roborant : 
 Utcunque defecere more?, 
 Dedecorant bene nata culpa;. Horat. lib. iv. Od. IV. 
 
 ^'spiKf^f ^X «<^y '^°^^ 7roMof'j> 66'M»? Ti ^ v'ioii. Arif^Gt, Ethic, 
 lib. X. cap, X. 
 
Religious Objervafion of the Lord's Day. 331 
 
 Part of them are grown bad, for want of well know- 
 ing how to behave better, and have contraded ftrong 
 and powerful Habits of Sin and Wickednefs, thro* 
 their Parents Negle6l of early and duly inftruding 
 them in the Neceffity and Advantage of Moral Virtue. 
 And tho' the Corruptions of Nature are indeed 
 great and vifible, yet '' More People are loll for 
 " want of good Education and Inftitution, than for 
 " wantofhoneft and honourable Inclinations,'* as an 
 Eminent Wxix.tr (h) hadi well obferved. And there- 
 fore, it muft be of the greateft Importance and Advan- 
 tage to Youth, to be early acquainted with all thofe 
 Parts of Knowledge which are neceifary for the future 
 Conduft and Government of their Lives and Adions. 
 Efpecially, if we confider, in the 
 
 Second Place ^ That the Inftruftions which are given 
 to Men in their Youth, are apt to abide the longeft 
 with, and to be the moft carefully oblerved and re- 
 membered by them. For this is the Time moft fuf- 
 ceptible of lading Impreinons, as a great Judge (i) in 
 this Matter hath truly remarked. And that mighty 
 Earneftnefs and Zeal which all Sects and Parties mani- 
 fell for their Opinions^ (how abfurd and monftrous foever) 
 is by the lame (k) Author jufcly afcribed to the Force 
 and Prejudice of Education, and to the deep Impref- 
 fion which is made of thofe Errours upon their Minds 
 in the Time of Youth [I). Arid a Man muft have 
 but little Experience of the World, who does not fee 
 that there is nothing more hard and difficult, than to 
 root out the fixed and fetded Opinions and Per- 
 fuafions of Mens Minds, and to divert them from 
 
 thofe 
 
 (h) UEJirange's Fables, 8vo. Vol. I. p. i86. 
 
 (i) Lock on Human Vnderjlandiug^ Book II. chap, xxxili. §. 8. 
 
 \k) Lock ibid. §. i8. 
 
 (/) Cam vero Parentibus redditi, ii eft, Magiftrls traditi fumus, 
 turn ita variis imbuimur Erroribus, ut vanitati Veritas, & opinioni 
 confirmatss Natura ipfa cedat. Cic Tufi. ^'^Jij lib. in. cap. ii. 
 
53?- -^ Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 thofs Courfes, to v/hich they have been long ufed and 
 llrongly inclined. And therefore it mud be highly 
 ferviceable a^:d beneficial to Youth, to have the No- 
 tions of Religion and Virtue, deeply and {rri) early 
 imprinted upon their Minds, and to be educated from 
 the Beginning in the Pradlice of Piety and Goodnefs : 
 fince Men are naturally prone to think and aft, as they 
 have been for fome Time accuftomed to do. And to 
 ufe the Words of a late noted Author (n)^ " Educa- 
 *' tion is juftly efteemed a Second Nature, and it's 
 *' Force fo ftrong, that few can wholly fhake off it*s 
 *' Prejudices, even in Things unreafonable and unna- 
 '' tural : and muil it not have the greateft Efficacy in 
 " Things agreeable to Realbn, and fuitable to Human 
 «' Nature? And then, 
 
 'thirdly and laftly^ The Religious Education of Chil- 
 dren is not only of the moft Eminent Service and Ad- 
 vantage to them, as hereby their Minds are ftored with 
 Necefiary and Ufeful Knowledge, and they are trained 
 up from the Beginning in the Pradtice of Virtue ; but 
 alio, as by this Means they are effectually preferved 
 from the Contagion and Mifchief of had Habits^ v/hich 
 (as will be feen prcfentlyj is the greateft Danger (^) to 
 which Youth is expofed, and from the Power of which 
 very fev/ Perfons ever perfeftly recover themfelves. 
 And moreover, as by this good Inftru6tion they are 
 timxly enured and gradually exercifed in the Pradlice 
 of Religionj they will reap this double Advantage 
 
 thereby ^ 
 
 Un) Quo femel eft imbuta recens fervabit Odorcm 
 
 Tefta diu. Uorat. lib. i. Epijl, it. 
 
 \n) Chrifiianif^ as old as the Creation^ chap. xi. p. i66. 
 
 (o) Natura nobis parvulos dedit igniculos, quos cderiter malis 
 Moribusopinionibufque depravatis lie reftinguimus, utnufquam Na- 
 turre lumen appareat ; funt enim irgeniis noftris Semina innata vir- 
 tutum, qus fi adoJef.^ere liceret, ipla nos ad beatam vitam natura 
 perduceret. Nunc autem fimul ac in lucem editi fumus, in omni 
 continuo pravitate & in fumma opinionum perverfuate verfamur, 
 Cir. Tnfc. ^aji, lib. Hi. cap. ii. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 333 
 
 thereby -, viz, that it will not only be eafy (p) and de- 
 lightful to them to difcharge their Duty, fas ir is to 
 Men in all other Cafes to ad according to fettled Habits 
 and Cuftoms) but they will alfo promote and advance 
 their true Happinefs and Pleafure in a greater Meafure 
 and Degree. Foi* that Religion naturally tends ta 
 make Men happy, even in this prefent Life, and iliai: 
 much greater and truer Pleafures arife from the Prac- 
 tice of Virtue, than from any Senfual and Sinful (q) 
 Enjoyments whatfoever -, is not only very evident from 
 the Nature of Things, and the Teilimony of all Hi- 
 flory, both Sacred and Profane, but alfo from the 
 Judgment of thofe Perfons, v/ho have had the Trial 
 and Experiment of both of them, and who have been 
 reclaimed from a Courfe of Vice and Wickednefs, to 
 the conflant and regular Obfervation of Religion and 
 Virtue : all which Perfons have readily acknowledg- 
 ed, that it was not only more wife and reafonable m 
 itfelf, to ad vtrtuovjly than vltiGitfly i but alfo that it 
 adminiftred an infinitely greater Comfort and Delight 
 to them. Nay, many wicked M«en will themfelves 
 freely ov/n, that they have been much better pleafed, 
 when they have difcharged any fingle Inftance of their 
 Duty, than ever they were by anySinfiii Compliance ; 
 and have therefore earneftly wifhed tha' diey could at- 
 tain to the BlefTednefs and Perfedion of good Chrijlians : 
 but being long accuitomed and enflaved to vicious 
 Habits, they have found all Attempts in vain, to deli- 
 ver themfelves from the Strength and Dominion of 
 them. From all which Confiderations, the great Be- 
 nefit 
 
 ibid. 
 
 (q) O Vitae Philofophia Dux — — unus diesbene & ex Prgecep- 
 tis tuis a6lus peccantilmmortalitati anteponendus ell. Cic. T^^fi. 
 ^£/, lib. V, 
 
334 A IDifcourfe concerning the 
 
 nent and Advantage which accrues to Children from 
 a Religious and Virtuous Education of them, does 
 very plainly appear. And hence we may fee the Wif- 
 dom of that Obfervation of King 3olomcn^ ("which 
 like other Proverbial Sentences is to be underftood to 
 hold true only in the General) "Tra^n up a Child in the 
 Way he Jhotild go^ and 'when he is Old he will not depart 
 from it, Prov. xxii. 6. And, 
 
 • Secondly^ As a Religious Education, of Children is 
 of the utmoft Benefit and Advantage to them, fo like- 
 wife it is abfolutely and indifpenfably neceflary to their 
 true Happinefs. And that upon thefe four Accounts : 
 Firfl, Becaiife without fuch Rehgious Education of 
 Youth, they cannot pofTibly be endued with that 
 Knowledge and Learning, which is neceffary to their 
 Inftru6lion and Direction in Moral Virtue. And to 
 the Want of this Knowledge, the bitter Complaints 
 of the many vicious and profligate Youth in the Na- 
 tion, are in great Meafure owing, as was juft now 
 obfervedo Infomuch, that the heavy Charge which God 
 made againft the Jezvi/h Prieils by the Prophet Hofea^ 
 may too juftly be applied to the Generality of Parents 
 •with regard to their Negled in the Education of their 
 Children -, My People are defiroyedfor lack of Knowledge, 
 chap. iv. 6. And indeed, if young Perfonsare not made 
 acquainted with their Duty, it is impoflible they fhould 
 obferve it ; neither can it in reafon be expedted, but 
 that they fhould foon abandon themfelves to all man- 
 ner of Vice and Wickednefs ^ unlefs ti^ey are early 
 and duly inftru6ted in the Ncceffity and Advantage 
 of Piety and Virtue. And this upon account of the 
 feco77d Thing, which renders the Religious Education 
 of Children abfolutely neceilary, ziz. the Natural Dif- 
 pofitions and Propenfions ot the Mind, which all Men 
 bring into the World with them, and which very 
 ftrongly incline and folicite them to evil. This the 
 PfalfTiijl acknowledges of himfelf. Behold^ fays he^ / 
 was jhapen in Wichdnep^ and in Sin hath my Mother , 
 
 concd't^ei 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 335 
 
 conceived me. Pfal. li. 5. And this every Man finds to 
 b^ true, more or lefs by his own Experience (r). This 
 tti ancient Philofophers clearly perceived and frequent- 
 ly complained of ; the' they were not able to give 
 any other Account of it, but that the Souls of Men 
 had formerly contra6led this Corruption (ff), and were 
 therefore fent down into thefe grofs and earthly Bodies 
 by way of Punilhment for Sins committed by them in 
 a State of Pre-exiftcnce. And though, this Corruption be 
 not fo ftrong (as Infidels and Libertines reprefent (s) 
 it to be), but that it may be effedually fabdued and 
 overcome by Difcipline and good Habits ; yet unlefs 
 timely Care be taken to reftrain the Influence and Ef- 
 fects of this Corruption, by Religious Inftrudlion and 
 by the Exercife of Virtue ; it will foon grow Ex- 
 orbitant and Irrefiftible ; and will by degrees bring a 
 Man into fuch a miferable State and Condition, that 
 he fhall have but iitde Power to do good, tho' he 
 fhould defire it never fo earneftly •, and will fay with 
 the natural Man defcribed by St Paul, Rom, vii. 'TImS 
 which I do I allow not^ for what 1 would that I do not ; 
 
 hut 
 
 (^^ — ----- video meliora, proboque, 
 
 Deteriora fequor. Oc/^. Metamorph. lib. vii. Fab. L 
 
 Quid eft hoc, Lucili, quod nos alio tendentes alio trahit, &«o 
 unde recedere cupimusimpellit ? quid colluftatur cum anlmo noilro, 
 nee per mittit nobis quicquam femel velle ? fluftuamus inter varia con- 
 filial nihillibere volumus,nihil ablblute, nihil fern per. 5^;?^^. Epifl. 52. 
 
 (\) See above^ pag. 172. 
 
 (;) "the celebrated Verfes of a late Noble Poet of this Nation, are 
 very remarkable to this Purpofe, which as Archbijhop Tillotfon ob- 
 Jerves are frequently in the Mouths of many t who are thought to bear 
 no good Will to Religion. 
 
 O wearifome Condition of Humanity, 
 Born under one Law, to another bound ; 
 Vainly begot, and yet forbidden Vanity ; 
 Created fick, commanded to be found. 
 If Nature did not take delight in Blood, 
 She would have made more eafy ways to Good 
 
 til lot forty Vol. I. /V7^- 329- ^ee the Place, 
 
336 A Dlfcourfe concerning the 
 
 lut what I hate that do I. 'ver. 15. And then, thirdly. 
 That which will add very much to the Force and 
 Strength of Mens natural Inclinations, and give them 
 the greateft Opportunity and Advantage to exert and 
 difcover their evil Propenfions (and does therefore fur- 
 ther (hew the abfolute Necefiity of Religious Educa- 
 tion) is the Multitude of vicious and corrupt Examples, 
 which prevails in the World j and to the Fatal In. 
 fluence and Power of which, all young Perfons muft 
 unavoidably be in fome Meafure expofed. And how 
 dangerous fuch Examples are to Youth, by reafon of 
 their being fo very prone and liable to Imitation hath 
 been already obferved (t). And fince bad Examples 
 become dangerous to Youth, chiefly thro' the want 
 of good Judgment to condud themfelves ('upon v/hich 
 Account they have oftentimes too pernicious an In- 
 fluence upon grown Perfons, as St Paul obferve s, i Cor, 
 XV. 0,0,.) we may hence pe'rceive the abfolute Necefii- 
 ty of early inculcadng upon them the ftrid Obliga- 
 tions and ineftimable Advantages of Religion, and 
 training them up in the Pradlice of Virtue j fmce o- 
 therwife, thro' the evil Inclinations and Propenfions 
 of Nature, they Vv^ill infallibly be drawn afide and 
 corrupted by bad and vicious Examples. But, fourth- 
 ly and laflly. That which will m.ore clearly and fully 
 fliew us the indifpenfable NecefTity of this Religious 
 Education of Youdi, is thic. Confideration, viz. that 
 unlefs they are early inftruded in their Duty, and 
 trained up in the Regular Pradice of it, all Attempts 
 afterwards^ to make them fenfible of the Importance 
 and AdvanKige of Religion and Virtue, wil' be in 
 vain and ineftedlual. For if, thro' the want oi good 
 Judgment in the Condud of themfelves, their evil 
 Inclinauons and Propenfions are indulged, and the 
 Power of them be increafed and itrengthened by Prac- 
 tice 
 
 (tj Vid. p?.g. 305, 306. 
 
Religions Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 337 
 tice and by corrupt Converfation ; they will fooa 
 loofe all Senfe of Religion, and Virtue, and delight 
 themfelves only in fenfual Pkaiures, till by degrees they 
 will be entirely accuftomed and habituated to Vice 
 and Wickedneis. And when once they are fettled and 
 confirmed in Habits of Vice, it will be the moft dif- 
 ficult Thing in the World to deliver them from the 
 Dominion of them, and to recover them to fober 
 Thought and ferious Confideration. This every one 
 hath fully experienced, who hath been concerned in 
 the Care and Management of fuch Perfons •, and the 
 Holy Scriptures reprefent the Converfion of Habitual 
 Sinners to be fo very difficult, that they defcribe it by 
 the Terms of a Natural Impoffibility. Thus fays the 
 Prophet, Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, and the 
 Leopard his Spots ? then may ye alfo do good, who are ac- 
 tufiomedto do evil Jer. xiii. 23. Not, that the Prophet 
 means, that it is hnpcjfible for habitual Sinners to be con- 
 verted and become good Men ; for that is contrary to 
 Reafon, and fometimes,God bepraifed, to Experience j 
 but only that it is a very hard Matter to be accomplifh- 
 ed. And it is ufual in Scripture [li) and profane Authors 
 to (a^) fpeak in this Manner, and to fignify and ex- 
 prefs great Difficulties, by Terms and Defcriptions of 
 Things that are i;?2pe#/^. And indeed, fuch Expref- 
 fions are very properly ufed, fince of all Things tliat 
 are poffible to be done, the Converfion of habitual 
 Sinners is the moft Difficult-, and efpecially, of fuch Sin- 
 ners, who have been long and early accuftomed to Vice 
 and Wickednefs, and are deftitute of any Meafare of 
 
 Z Knowledge 
 
 (u) See Mark, x. 2^, to zS. 
 
 (x) Sic Ariftot. Impoffibile, inquit, dicitur, aut quod omnino 
 fieri non poteft, aut non facile, nee cito, nee bene. Sic Jurifconfulti 
 impoffibile vocant, quod juxta communem legem aut ufum fieri 
 non poteft, etiamfi privilegio vel voluntate Principis fieri queat. 
 Sic in Moribus impoffibile dicitur, quod ufum communem egredi- 
 tur. Ribera in Heb. vi. 4. 
 
 Ac/^uVctlof, Hie intelligitur, admodum difficile, nee fine iafolito 
 Divins gratiae auxilio poffibile. Br, & Riber. ibid. 
 
338 A Difcourfe concerning tht 
 
 Knowledge and Judgment to difcover the Deceitfulneis 
 and Danger of Sin. For to ufe the Words of a^ Emi- 
 Fient Writer (y)^ " When Vicious Inclinations are 
 *' brought once by Cuftom and Pradtice to be habitual, 
 " the Evil is defperate^ for Nature will be true to herfelf 
 " through all Forms and Difguifes : And Cufto^n is a 
 '' fecond Nature'^ And as another Ingenious (z) Per- 
 fon hath cbferved» " It- is a mofl certain 'Truths that 
 " without a particular AJJiftance from Heaven, the 
 " Vices of Youth follow a Man to his Grave." 
 And thus much concerning the Duty of a Religious 
 Education of Children, together v/ith the abfolute Ne- 
 celTity and great Advantages thereof. I have nothing 
 farther to add upon this Head, but to exhort all Pa- 
 rents feriouQy to confider this Matter •, and earneftly 
 to entreat them, as they tender the Welfare and Hap- 
 pinefs of their Children ; as they defire that the Fruit 
 of their own Bodies fhould not peri ill and come to 
 Deilruclion {a) \ nor the Blood of their Children cry 
 out at the kit Day for Vengeance agaitift them -, that 
 they be very careful and diligent in the Religious E- 
 ducation ot them, and that they early and duly 
 inftrud them in the NecefTity and Advantage of Piety 
 and Virtue, ' and train them up regularly in the Habit 
 and Pradlice of it. And indeed, it is apparently owing 
 to the Negled; of Parents in this Particular, that Vice 
 and Wickednefs does fo much abound in the Nation, 
 and that we have lb many deplorable Inftances of 
 young Perfons utterly abandoned to Lewdnefs and De- 
 bauchery, and at their firft fetting cut into the World, 
 undone and ruined beyond all Recovery. And fo 
 great and lliameful is this Negled, that to ufe the 
 
 ^Yords 
 
 (j) VEftran^e. Vol. L Fab. iSg. p- 202. 
 
 (2:) See' the Enquiry concerning Virtue, in Jnfzver to the Fable tf 
 iJjie Bees, />. 2 1 6, 
 
 [^) Quic, prodeft homini filiam habere, nutrire, amare, fi setsr- 
 nis eum nutriat lormentis ? Augujl, d? 'Temo, Serm, Z49. 
 
"Religions Obfervation of the Lord*s Day. 339 
 
 Words of a moft Pious (b) and Excellent Prelate of our 
 Church, *' When I ferioufly confider how fupinejy 
 *' remifs and unconcerned many Parents are, as to the 
 *' Religious Education of their Children ; I cannot 
 " but think of that Saying of Augnftus concerning 
 " Herod^ Better he his Hop- than his Child, I think ic 
 " was fpoken to another Purpofe (^), but it is true 
 " likewife to the Purpofe 1 am fpeakingof : Better to 
 *' be fome Mens Bogs^ or Hawks ^ or Horfes^ than their 
 *' Children : For they take a greater Care to breed 
 '' and train up thefe to their feveral Ends and Ufes, 
 *' than to breed up their Children for Eternal Happi- 
 " nefs." And yet furely there is nothing more alio- 
 nifhing, than that the Generality of Parents fhould 
 take fo much Care and Pains, in having their Chil- 
 dren well acquainted with the proper Skill and Knov/- 
 ledge of the feveral ProfeiTions for which they are de- 
 figned, and fhould think no Expence of Time or Mo- 
 ney too great, to inftrud them in a little Latin^ Greeks 
 French^ Philcfophy^ Mathematics^ Hiflory^ Mufic^ Dan- 
 cings or any other Part of neceflary and ufeful Know- 
 ledge •, and at the fame Time, in the Grand Affair of 
 Religion, which is of all others the mod Important y 
 fhould be fo fliupidly Carelefs and Inconfiderate : as 
 if they had no Regard for the Good of their Children, 
 beyond this prefent fhort and uncertain Life, nor v/ere 
 in the lead concerned what fhall become of them af- 
 
 Z 2 ter 
 
 [h) Archbilhop Tillotfo-n^ VoK I. p. 636. 
 
 {c) The Occafion of thefe Words of Auguftus was this ; 
 When he heard that, among the Infants under two Years Old, 
 whom Herod the King had commanded to be flain, Herofs 9wn 
 Son was killed, he faid it was better to have been Herod's. Hog 
 than bis Son. This Relation is given to us by a Pagan Writer, 
 who lived towards the End of the IVth Century. Ctim audijpt 
 {Jugujius) inter puero;., quos in Syria Her odes Rex JudaoruTTi 
 intra bimatiim jiiffit interfici^ filium quoque ejus occ'ifum \ ait. 
 Melius eji Herodis porcum ejje quam filium, Macrob» lib. ii. 
 cap, iv. 
 
34^ A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 ter Death, but it were a Matter altogether indifferenL''^ 
 to them, whether they be for ever Happy, or for ever 
 Miferable. 
 
 It is therefore highly fit and neceflary, that Parents 
 Hiould be frequently admonifhed, and put in Mind of 
 this great Duty of the Religious Education of their 
 Children. And there are four Confiderations which- 
 may be urged upon this Head, of great Moment and 
 Confequence, which I Ihall only at prefent briefly 
 mention, leaving all Parents to think and refled more' 
 fully upon them at their Leifure. And, 
 
 Firft^ The Religious Education of Children is a 
 Natural Duty. The firft Thing which Nature didlates 
 to all Parents, is that they have a Tender Regard to 
 the Prefervation and Happinefs of their Offspring ; 
 and therefore fince Religion is abfolutely necelTary to 
 the Happinefs of Mankind (as hath been fliewn in the 
 foregoing Part of this Chapter j it is a yiatural Obliga- 
 tion upon all Parents to ufe their befl Endeavoui*s to 
 iniirud and educate their Children therein. And when 
 we confider that ftrong Love and Affe6lion which the 
 very Brute Creatures have for their Young, and what 
 Care they take in bringing them up, till they are able 
 to defend and provide for themxfelves [d) \ we may 
 jiiUly think thofe Men to be worfe than Brutes, who 
 are the Inilruments of bringing Children into the 
 World, and yet are entirely Negligent to inftrudb 
 them in that, upon which their Well-Being and Hap- 
 pinefs, both in this Life and the next does abfolutely 
 depend. 
 
 Secondly^ If a Religious Life and Converfation be 
 abfolutely NecefTary to the Happinefs of Children, 
 then the Religious Education of Children mull be an 
 
 Indifpenfable 
 
 {d) Quid dicam quantus amor beftiarum fit in educandis cufto- 
 diendifque il-quae procieaverint, ufque ad eum finem dum poflint f«' 
 ipfa deitndere ? Cic. de N(ii. Dcorum^ lib» ii. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 341 
 
 Indifpenfable Duty of all Parents : Since without 
 fuch Education, it will be impofiible for them to at- 
 tain to a due and competent Knowledge of their Duty, 
 or to be influenced and trained up in the Fradice 
 of it ; as I have already fully fhewn in this Chap- 
 ter. 
 
 Thirdly^ As the greatefl and trueft Happinefs of Pa- 
 rents does commonly refult from the Happinefs of 
 their Children : I would therefore beg of them earnefl- 
 ly to confider, that no Happinefs can pofTibiy be greater 
 than that which is derived from a rational and well 
 grounded Hope, that all their Children are in the Fa- 
 vour of God at prefent, and fhall be eternally rewarded 
 by Him hereafter in His Glcrious Kingdom. Let 
 them imagine, they could be fully allured, that all 
 itheir Children fhould^zV in the Lord ; and that when 
 they fliall appear with them before the Tribunal of God, 
 they could fay to the Great Judge concerning their 
 Children, as He Himfelf did to His Father concern- 
 ing His Difci pies, Of them which ^hDugav eft Me ^ have 
 I loft none ^ John xviii. 9. there would fpring up in 
 -their Minds, fuch Rapturous Joy and Delight, as no . 
 one can conceive, nor the Tongue of Men and Angels 
 exprefs. And therefore I hope, that lor their own 
 Sake, as well as with Regard to their Children, 
 they will be careful to advance and fecure their 
 Eternal Happinefs and Salvation ; -fince they cannot 
 poflibly do any Thing that v/ill prove more advan- 
 tageous and beneficial to themfelves, and in the End 
 adminifter fuch an unfpeakable Comfort and Delight 
 to their Minds. 
 
 In the Fourth and laft Place ^ Let all Parents fre- 
 quently and ferioufly confider, that God will demand 
 a ilri6b Account from them m what Manner they have 
 ufed and employed all their Talents •, and particularly 
 whether they have fpent their Time in doing Good, 
 and applied their Knov/ledge to the Inftrii5fion of the 
 fgnprant and them that are out of the Way, Heh, v. ii. 
 
 Z 3 And 
 
342 A Dijcoiirfe conerning the 
 
 And much more then certainly will He requTe,that they 
 fpare a few Hours from the purfuit of Worldly Intereft 
 and Pleafure,and take fome reafonable Pains in commu- 
 nicating their Knowledge to their own Children, and in 
 thelnilrufting them in thofe Things, which are abfo- 
 lutely necellary to their Weil-Being and Happinels. 
 Otherwife, they may exped:, when their Great Lord 
 fhall come to Judgment, to fall under the heavy Sen- 
 tence of the unprofitable Servant^ to he caft into outer 
 Darknefsy where there is Weeping and Gnajbing of 1'eeth, 
 Matt, XXV. 30. And moreover, I would have them 
 often think with themfelves, that the Religious Edu- 
 cation of Children is one of the Greateft and moft 
 important Trulls, which Providence hath ever com- 
 mitted to Mankind ; and therefore if Parents fhall 
 be found unfaithful to this Truil, they will render 
 themfelves guilty of the very worfl Kind of Un- 
 righteoulhefs and Perfidy. And if no unrighteous 
 Man fiall inherit the Kingdom ofGody as the Apoflle 
 obferves, i Cor. vi. 9. furely thofe Perfons Ihall 
 be removed at the greatefl Diflance from thence, who 
 are unrighteous and unfaithful towards their own 
 Children. And fmce all Chriftians are bound to feek 
 after the Benefit and Advantage of all Mankind,- 
 I Cor, X. 24, and every 07ie m -p-dnicuhr to pie afe his 
 Neighbour^ for his Good to Edification , Rom. xv. 2. there 
 niuft certainly be a much higher and ilronger Obliga- 
 tion upon all Parents, to have a tender Regard to the 
 Welfare of their Children, and to be careful and di- 
 ligent to inftrudl them in the Knowledge of thofe 
 Things, which are neceffary and effential to their Hap- 
 pinefs. And in Cafe any Parent fhall negledl to do 
 this, we may very juflly apply to him thofe Words of 
 St PauU which were fpoken with Relation to the Tem- 
 poral Provifion for Mens Families j If any provide 
 not for his own^ and efpecially for thofe of his own Hovfe^ 
 he hath denied the Faith and is worfe than an hifiJel^ 
 I "Tim, V. 8. And thus I have finifhed what I have 
 
 to 
 
Religious Objern.mtion of the Lord's Day. 343 
 
 to fciy upon this Point of the Inilruction and Education 
 of Children ^ and thereby have confidered thofe Re- 
 ligious Duties, in the Obfervation of which the Lord's 
 Day ought to be employed. Before I proceed any 
 farther, it will be proper and neceffary to make an Ap- 
 plication of what hath been laid down in this and the 
 foregoing Chapters to the Subjed: of this Difcourfe ; 
 and to prove that Men are bound to difcharge thefc 
 Duties upon the Lord*s Day^ and alfo to fliew in 
 what Meafure and Proportion they ought to perform 
 them at this holy Seafon : And this becaufe, as v/as 
 before taken notice of, tho' they are all ElTeritial Du- 
 ties of Religion, yet they are not all of them of 
 equal NecefTity to be obferved at any particular Time, 
 but do fome of them admit of more Relaxation and In- 
 dulgence in the Difcharge of them, than others. I fhall 
 therefore endeavour to (late this Matter as plainly and 
 clearly as I can, and as I have before proved that the 
 Attendance upon the Public Vv^'orfhip, the Reading 
 of the Scriptures, the Meditation upon Divine Things, 
 i^c. are necefiTary Duties of Religion, I fhall now 
 proceed to enquire how fir Men are obliged to the 
 Pradice of thefe Duties upon the Lord'' 5 Day^ and in 
 what Meafure and Proportion they fhould obferve 
 them. But this fhall be done in the following Chap- 
 ter. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
344 
 
 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Being an Application of u^hat has been laid down 
 in the Five foregoing Chapters to the Subjedt 
 of this Difcourfe, and in which is confideredy 
 how far, and in what Meafure, Men are 
 bound to difcharge the Religious Duties above^ 
 mentioned upon the Lord's Day. 
 
 A V I N G in the foregoing Chap- 
 ters laid before the Reader the 
 Obligation of attending upon the 
 Public Worlhip, of Reading the 
 Holy Scriptures, of Meditating up- 
 on Divine Things, of Examining 
 into our Lives and Adlions, and 
 the Religious Education of Children : in order 
 to apply what hath been therein delivered to the Sub= 
 je6t ot this Difcourfe, and to fhew the NecefTity of 
 difcharging thefe Duties upon the Lord's Day, and in 
 what Degree and Meafure Men are bound to difcharge 
 them •, we mufb confider Mankind under thefe two 
 Heads and Diftinclions. Firfi, Such as being bound 
 to attend all the Week upon the Labours of their 
 Callings, for the Maintenance and Support of them- 
 lelves and Families % have little or no other Time 
 
 but 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord*sDay. 345 
 
 but upon the Lord's Day, for the Exercife of thefe 
 ReHgious Duties. And Secondly^ Such as being ex- 
 empt from the Neceflity of weekly Labour, have their 
 Time more entirely at their own Command ; and con- 
 fequently have more Leilure and Opportunity for the 
 Difcharge of thefe Duties at other Sealbns. For the 
 Obligation of performing thefe Dunes upon the Lorcl^s 
 Day^ and the Meafure and Degree in which they are 
 to be performed, will in fome Refpe6ls vary and dif- 
 fer •, according as we apply them to Men under thefe 
 Diftindlions. And, 
 
 Firft then^ Let us confider the Obligation of difcharg- 
 ing thefe Religious Duties upon the Lord's Day, v/itii 
 Regard to thofe Perfons who are ordinarily bound 
 throughout the whole Week, to attend upon the proper 
 Works and Labours of their Callings. Now with Re- 
 gard to the tw^o firft Religious Duties before-mentioned, 
 'viz. the Attendance upon the Public M'^orjhip of Gcd, and a 
 due Reflexion and Meditation upon the Word which hath 
 heen preached to us at this Tifne \ there is no difference as 
 to the Obligation of thefe Duries upon the hordes 
 Day^ between the Pcoreft and the Grcateft Man liv- 
 ing. But all Men are equally bound to obferve thefe 
 Duties at this Seafon (unlefs fome A6t of Necef- 
 fity or Charity intervene^ from the Prince that fits upon 
 the llorone^ to the Beggar that is en the BunghiU as the 
 Scripture (peaks, iSam. ii.8. For, fincethe FublicWcr- 
 fhip and Service of God is a neceffary and effentiai 
 Duty of Religion, and God hath appointed a parti- 
 culary Day in every Week, for the Performance of 
 this^ Duty : fmce the pofitive Laws of God are 
 indifpenfable, and God requires us to ferve Him 
 with all our Hearts^ and to prefer our Duty to Him 
 before all Temporal Confiderations whatfoever ; and 
 hath exprefsly declared, that unlefs we ferve Flim 
 with this Sincerity and Purity of Intention, all cur Re- 
 ligious Performances will be unacceptable and difpleaf- 
 ing to Him : 2II which Things have been clearly and 
 
 fully 
 
346 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 fully proved in the foregoing Difcourfe {e) ; I fay, 
 fmce God doth fo ilridily require us to fcrve and wor- 
 fliip Him Oil the hordes Bay ; it muft therefore cer- 
 tainly be the neccifary and indifpenLble Duty of all 
 Men of what Quality and Station foever they be, to 
 attend diligently and conilantly at this Tiir*? upon the 
 Public Worfliip •, and it cannot be negleded by any 
 Man for the Sake of any Company^ Intereft^ or PVcrldly 
 Fleafiire^ without the maiiifeft Hazard and Danger of 
 his Salvation, And the like may be fa id with refpedt 
 to the Duty of Meditating upon God's Word, and of 
 making a due and careful Application of it, to the 
 State and Condition of our Souls. For, fmce our 
 Bleffed Saviour hath plainly required this Duty of us, 
 as hath been before obferved (f) •, if we do not take 
 heed how we hear^ and for want of the proper Quali- 
 fications and Difpofitions of Mind, we fhall chcak the 
 /FcT^ and render it unfruitful', v/e fhall be chargeable be- 
 fore God with all the Effeds and Confequences of 
 fuch Negled. And thus far the Condition of all Men 
 is alike, and they are all equally bound to the Per- 
 formance of thefe Duties at this Holy Seafon. And 
 then. 
 
 Secondly^ With refpedl to the other Duties above- 
 mentioned, viz, the Reading the Holy Scriptures^ the 
 Meditation upon Divine llnngs^ Self-Examination^ and the 
 Education of Children -, as I have before proved that 
 they are all of them neceffary and effential Dudes of 
 Religion, they mull needs require fome Time and 
 Seafon to be fet apart for the due and proper Exer- 
 cife of them. And this Exercife is, as will be ftcn 
 prefently, not only a very fit and proper Employ- 
 ment for the Lord's Day, but it is alfo the neceffary 
 
 and 
 
 (f) See Part I. chap. i. Part II. chap. i. and chap. v. p> 
 (f) Sec Part. \l, chap. iii. p. 207, &c^ 
 
Religious Ohfervafion of the Lord's Day. 347 
 
 and indifpenfable Duty of fuch Perfons to perform 
 it at this Seafon, who are intent all the Week long 
 upon the Works and Labours of their Callings i be- 
 caufe they have ordinarily no other Time but this, in 
 which they can difcharge thefe great Duties to any 
 good Purpofe ; and therefore, if they negled the Per- 
 formance of them upon the Lord's Bay^ they mud 
 negledl it altogether, to the Eternal Ruin and Deftruc- 
 tion of their Souls. And I am apt to think that thefe 
 Perfons will find by Experience, that to difcharge 
 thefe Religious Duties in the Manner they ought to be 
 done, i. e. to read the Holy Scriptures fufficiently to 
 their Inftrudlion and Edification in Cbriftian Know- 
 ledge ; to Meditate fo frequently and throughly upon 
 the great Points of Religion, that they may gain a 
 due and regular Influence upon their Affedions •, to ex- 
 amine fo carefully into their Lives and Adlions, as to 
 underftand the true State and Condition of their Souls, 
 and to be afcertained of their fincere Repentance, and 
 their Progrels and Improvehient in Piety and Virtue ; 
 and fo perfedly to Inftrud and Educate their Chil- 
 dren, as to make them fully fenfible of the abfolute 
 Necefiity and Advantage of Religion, and habitually 
 prepared and difpofed to the Pradice of it. 1 fay, 
 that iuch Perfons who are confined all the Week long 
 to the Labours of their Callings, will find by Ex- 
 perience, that to perform thefe Religious Duties in 
 that Manner which they ought to do, will at lead re- 
 quire that fome confiderabie Part of every Lord's Day 
 be employed to this Purpofe. And becaufe the due 
 Performance of thefe Duties is of the utmofl Necef- 
 fity and Confequence to Religion, as hath been before 
 fhewn ; therefore fuch Perfons as have little or no Op- 
 portunity but upon the Lord's Day for Reading the 
 Holy Scriptures, and Meditating upon Divine Things, 
 &c, fliould be extremely careful and folicitous to apply 
 th^emfelves to thefe Divine Exercifes at this Time ; 
 and as a raoft pious and excellent Prelate hath well 
 
 cbferved 
 
34^ A Dtfcourfe concernhig the 
 
 obferved (^), " The lefs Leifure Men have upon 
 '^' other Days for this Purpofe, the more entirely fhould 
 *' they confecrate this Day to the Purpofes and Duties 
 ^^ of Religion." And thus much concerning the 
 Manner in which fuch Perfons ought to fpend their 
 Time upon the hordes Day^ Vv'ho are bound to attend 
 all the Week long upon the Labours of their Cal" 
 iings. I proceed. 
 
 Secondly^ To apply the Argument to thofe, who by 
 not being obliged to Work and Labour for their Liv- 
 ing, have more Leifure at other Seafons for the Exer- 
 cife of thefe Religious Duties, and have their Time 
 and Opportunity more entirely at their Command. 
 Now in the firjl Place^ with refped to the Duties of 
 attending upon the Public JVorJhip and of Meditating upon 
 the Word of God when preached to them^ there is no 
 Difference in this Matter between the Greateft and the 
 Pooreft Men living ; but they are all equally bound 
 to the Performance of thefe Duties upon the hordes 
 Day^ as was juft now obferved. And all the Diffe- 
 rence between fome Men and others, with regard to the 
 Religious Obfervation of the Lord^s Bay^ relates en- 
 tirely to the Private Dudes of the Day, and confifbs 
 in this ; that the more Leifure and Opportunity Men 
 have at other Times for thefe Religious Exercifes, if 
 they faithfully and honeflly employ it to this good 
 Purpofe, they will have Occafion to fpend lefs of their 
 Time in thefe necelfary Duties upon the Lord's Day ; 
 but not that they can fafely omit them altogether at 
 this Holy Seafon, or that it is lawful for the Greatefl: 
 among the Sons of Men to fpend the remaining Part 
 of the Lord's Day when Divine Service is ended fas is 
 now too commonly and fhamefully done) in Drinking, 
 and Gaming^ and in keeping of Company^ and in Worldly 
 Tleafure, For fmce, as hath been before fully proved, 
 
 God 
 
 {g)rUIotfcnYQ\. II. p. 277. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 34^ 
 
 God hath appropriated the Seventh Bay to His Wor- 
 Hiip and Service, and commanded us to keep it 
 holy •, the Command muft certainly extend to all 
 Mankind, and there is no one who is exempt from 
 the Force and Obligation of it : and therefore how- 
 great foever^ any Man's Station or Quality may be, 
 if he fhall profane the Lord's Day by the Negledl of 
 God's Public Worfhip, or by dedicating this Holy 
 Seafonto Mirth, and Company, and Worldly Pleafures^ 
 he Ihall be highly anfwerable to God for fuch Tranf- 
 greflion. And it will be no Excufe at all, to alledge 
 that he may read good Books, and fufficiently apply^ 
 himfelf to Religious Exercifes at other Times •, fmce, 
 as the Lord*s Day is appointed of God Himfelf for 
 this Purpofe, it ought to be obferved and employed 
 accordingly in fome Meafure and Degree by all Man- 
 kind •, and it can never be " wholly negle&ed with- 
 *^ out Indevotwn^ or even without Scandal^'' as an Emi- 
 nent Writer truly obferves (h). And tho' the Perfons 
 we are now Ipeaking of, if they frequently and 
 ferioufly apply themfelves to , thefe Exercifes of 
 Religion at other Opportunities, may not be re- 
 quired to fpend fo many of their Hours upon the 
 Lord's Day^ in this Employment, as other Men 5. 
 yet ^hey cannot at this Time fafely omit and 
 negled; them altogether. But they arc ftridly bound,, 
 as to attend duly and conflantly upon the Pub- 
 He Worfhip ; fo, after the Service^ of the Church ia 
 ended, to employ fome Part of the remaining Time, 
 in Reading of Good Books, in Meditating upon Di^ 
 vine Things', and in the other Offices of Piety and Re- 
 ligion, according to their different Station, Circum- 
 llances, and Condition. And this they are obliged ta 
 do upon thefe two Accounts. Fir§f^ On the Account 
 of their Families. And Secondly^ With Regard ta 
 
 their 
 
 (h) Bilhop Atterbur^% Ssrmons, Vol. I. p. 3,5.2^. 
 
3 50 ^ Dijourfe concerning the 
 
 their own proper and perfonal Obligations. And 
 Firft^ On the Account of their Families. Now thefe are 
 under the Care of their Mailers, and committed by God 
 to their Charge ; and they haveadiredb and immedi- 
 ate Authority over them. And, as a moil Excellent 
 Prelate truly obferves, " All Authority over others 
 " is a Talent, intruded with us by God, for the 
 " Good and Benefit of odiers ; and for which 
 " we are accountable, if we do not improve it 
 *' and make ufe of it to that End. We are 
 *' obliged by all lawful Means to provide for 
 " the temporal^ dhrt of our Family, to feed and 
 " cloath \htix Bodies ^2iX\dL to give them a Comfortable 
 '' Subfiilence here in this World *, and fur.ly, m.uch 
 *' more are we obliged to take Care of their Sculs^ 
 *' and to confult their Eternal Happinefs in another 
 " Life % in Comparifox; of which all temporal Con- 
 *' cernments and Confiderations are as nothing Ci).'* 
 And moreover 5 God exprefsly requires all Mafters to 
 give unto their Servants that ivhich is Equals Col iv. i. 
 And that this extends to Spiritual Things and to the 
 Mafters Care and Concern about Family Religion, as 
 w^ell as to Matters of /fwporii/ Provifion y is evident net 
 only from what was juftnow obferved concerning the 
 Nature of this Trull, but alfo from tliofe Exam.ples, 
 which we find in Holy Scripture recorded to this 
 Purpofe. ThusJoJJjua declares to t\\z Ifraelites^ that 
 whomfoever they fhould choofe to ferve,^ it was his 
 firm Refolution, that he himfelf and his Hciife would 
 ferve the Lord ^ Jojh.xxiy. 15. Which Words, as the 
 Excellent Prelate laft mientioned jullly obferves, do 
 imply *' The pious Care of a good Mafter and Fa- 
 '' ther of a Family, to train up thofe under his 
 "' Charge, in the Worlhip and Service of the true 
 
 '' God," 
 
 (i) fillotfon Vol. I. p. 599. 
 
Religious Objervation on the Lord*s Day. j^r 
 
 ** God (^)." And the fame pious Regard to the 
 Spiritual Welfare of his Family, was before obferved 
 of faithful Abraham (and for this Reafon God Al- 
 mighty declared that He would difcover to Him His 
 Defign concerning the Deflrudiion of Sodom)^ For I 
 know him ^ faith God, that he will command his Children 
 and his Houfehold after him, and they Jhall keep the Way 
 of the Lord to do Juftice and Judgment. Gen, xviii. i^^ 
 19. It is therefore incumbent upon all Mafters of 
 Families to have a due Regard to their Religious 
 Inftrudlion and Spiritual Welfare, as well as to provide 
 for their temporal Support and Maintenance. And 
 this clearly fhews the Obligation that Wqs upon all 
 Matters to obferve the Lord's Day, and keep it religi- 
 ciijly -, not only becaufe it is the Indilpenfable Duty 
 of all Servants to keep this Day holy as well as their 
 Matters, and that, by attending upon the Public Wor- 
 fhip, and by reading the Scriptures and performing 
 the other Exercifes of Religion, v/hen they are not 
 otherwife detained by fuch Services as are ahfolutely 
 fieceffary *, but alfo becaufe, whatever Leifure their 
 Mafters may have at other Times for the Difcharge 
 of thefe Religious Duties ; it is very certain that the 
 Generality of Servants have litde or no Time and 
 Opportunity but this, in which they can pei-form 
 them in due Meafure and to any good Purpofe. And 
 therefore, if they neglect them at this holy Seafon, they 
 mutt negle61: them altogether, to the apparent Hazard 
 and Ruin of their Souls. If then, all Servants are 
 bound, not only to attend upon the Public Worfnip, 
 but alfo to read the Scriptures, and to obferve the 
 other Duties of Religion upon the Lord's Day, when 
 
 Divine 
 
 (k) Tillotfon, ibid, p. 595. Ego & domus mea. &c. EfHca* 
 clflimum argumentum erat Extmplum Imp en. tor's, p-asfertim 
 prudentiflimi, fanaiffimi, & feliciffimi. Exempium hie pr:>poiiitur 
 gubernandsB familias noilrse. M<^ftus in he. 
 
352 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Divine Service is ended ; it muft be the Indif- 
 penfable Duty of all Mailers to be prefent in their 
 Families at this Time, to watch carefully over them, 
 and fee that they be well inflruded, and that all the Re- 
 ligious Duties of the Day be duly and regularly per- 
 formed by them.Butthis isabfolutely impofTible for them 
 to do •, if at this very Time fas the too General Cuftom 
 now isj Servants Ihall be required to -wait upon their 
 Matters in Public Houfes, or other Places, where 
 they are engaged in Drinking, Gaming, Company, 
 or worldly Pleafure. Neither can it in Reafon be 
 expeded, that if at this Time Mens Families are \dx. 
 to themfelves, that any confiderable Number of Ser- 
 vants will employ thefe precious Hours in reading of 
 the Scriptures, or in the other neceflary Exercifes of 
 Religion ; if they are not earneilly exhorted and in- 
 duced thereto, by their Mailers Counfel and Authority, 
 and encouraged and animated by his Prefence and 
 Example. I ihall not fpend any Time in defcribing, 
 neither v/ould I willingly difplay the exceeding Guilt 
 of many Mailers in this Refped, and what a manifell 
 Injury is hereby done to their Servants in thus neg- 
 leding the Care of their Souls, and defrauding them 
 of that Time which by the Law of God does juftly 
 belong to them •, and what a Heavy and Dreadful 
 Account they muil give to God at the lail Day for 
 this great Crime. I ihall only obferve at prefent, that 
 it is in a great Meafare ov/ing to the Negled of 
 Mailers in this Particular, that we have fo many 
 Complaints every where of idk^ wicked and unfaithful 
 Servants. And unlefs Mailers v/ill be more careful 
 of their Duty in this Matter, they ihould ceafe to 
 complain upon this Head ; and would do well to 
 confider how much of this Blame may juilly be 
 charged upon themfelves, by their ihameful Negled 
 of this NeceiTary Duty of Family Inilrucflion. For 
 fince it is impoiTible that Men can be honell in their 
 Dealings, and faithful to their Truds, unkis they are 
 
 indued 
 
Religious Obfervation g/^ //5^ Lord's Day. '^cx 
 
 endued with a good Confclence -, f and it is ridiculous 
 io much as to talk of a good Confciente^ that is not 
 grounded upon and fupported by the Principles of Reli- 
 gion) it is therefore in vain for Mailers to exped 
 that the Behaviour of their Servants fhould be influ- 
 enced and governed by the Principles of Religion, 
 if at the fame Time the Servants fhall difcdrn that 
 there is litde or no Religion in themfelves ; and par- 
 ticularly, that they can be guilty of fo great Impiety, 
 as to negledt the Public Worfliip of God upon the 
 Lord's Bayy and fpend that Holy Seafon in journeying 
 ahout^ in -paying of Vtfits^ m keeping of Company^ in 
 Drinking or Gaming^ and in Mirth and Worldly Diver- 
 fans ', as is now notorioufly and frequently done 
 (every Day more and morej by almoft all Orders and 
 Degrees of Men among us throughout the whole Kino-. 
 dom. As bad and unfaithful therefore as many Ser- 
 vants are found to be j yet it would become all Maflers 
 before they pafs Sentence on them, to examine them- 
 felves throughly, and fee whether they have not contri- 
 buted to this greatEvil, by neglecting thisDuty of Fa- 
 mily Inflru6lion: And if they have •, they have too much 
 Reafon to fear, that the Providence of God may punifh 
 them for this grofsNegle6l,!n the Plague and Torment, 
 theUneafinefs and Vexation, which the Unfaithfulnefs and 
 Mi/behaviour of Servants adminlfters to their Minds. 
 I will not urge this Matter any farther, but will rather 
 conclude this Head with an Excellent PafTage of Arch- 
 bifhop TiUotfon^ relating to this Duty of Family Re- 
 ligion •, which, becaufe it comes from fo wife and 
 good a Man, will therefore I hope have the greater 
 Effe6l and Influence upon miy Readers. "When the 
 *' Public Worfhip (faith hej of the Lord's Day is over, 
 *' our Families fhould be infl:ru6led at Home by hav- 
 " ing the Scriptures, and other good Books read to 
 " them, and Care likewife fhould betaken that they 
 " do this themfelves •, this being the Chief Opportunity 
 *' that m.oft of them, efpecially thofc that are Servants, 
 A a ... have 
 
3 54- ^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 have of minding the Bufinefs of Religion, and think- 
 ing ferioufly of another World. And therefore I 
 cannot but think it of very great Confequence to 
 the Maintaining and keeping alive of Religion in 
 the World, that this Day be Religioufly obferved, 
 and fpent as much as may be in the Exercifes of Pi- 
 ety, and in the Care of our Souls. For furely every 
 one that hath a true Senfe of Religion will grant, that 
 it is necelTary that fome Time fhould be Solemnly 
 fet apart for this Purpofe, vvhich is of all other our 
 greatefl: Concernment : and they who negledl this, fo 
 proper Seafon and Opportunity will hardly find any 
 other Time for it •, efpecially thofe v;ho are under 
 the Government and Command of others, as Chil- 
 dren and Servants, who are feldom upon any other 
 Day allowed to be fo much Mailers of their Time, 
 as upon this Day f/)." To which I will add an 
 Excellent Obfervation of another very Pious andLearn- 
 ed f;;2) Writer. " Whereas God (faith he) required 
 " of the Jews fuch a Portion of Time to be folemnly 
 " dedicated to Religion and Mercy i we who are un- 
 ' ' der greater Obligations fhould think our fel ves bound 
 " to confecrate as much or more Time to the fame In- 
 '' tents, fhould be content to withdraw our fel ves more 
 *' fl-equently from the Purfuit of our own Profits and 
 ^' Pleafures, to the Remembrance and Celebration of 
 " His Favours, and to allow ^greater Relaxation to our 
 '' Dependents, that in fome Proportion we may ex-- 
 " ceed the Jews in Piety and Gratitude, as w^e furpafs 
 " them in the Matter and Caufes thereof." And as 
 Rich and Great Men are obliged to obferve the Z^rJ's 
 Day and keep it Religioudy for the Sake of their Fa- 
 milies ; fo likewife are they obliged to do the fame 
 with Regard to their own Perfons i and that upon 
 thefe three Accounts. 
 
 Firft, 
 
 (/) TiUotJon^ Vol. I, p, 598. 
 
 \m) Dt Barroui's Works, Vol. I. p. 529, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 355 
 
 Firft^ Bccaufe God hath commanded all Men to 
 obferve the Lord*s Bay and to keep it holy •, as hath 
 been clearly fhewn. And the keeping this Day holy, 
 implies not only the Separation of it from Bodily 
 Works and Labours -, but alfo the Dedication there- 
 of to the Public Worlhip of God, and to the Offices 
 and Dudes of Religion. This I have before fufficlent- 
 ]y proved (n) ; and Dr Heylin fwhofe Nodons upon 
 this Subject are I am fure not too rigid) does in fome 
 Meafure allow the fame ; for he faith, " the Word 
 " Sabbath is ufed in Scripture to fignify fome felecled 
 " Time, by God Himfelf deputed unto Holinefs as 
 " well as Reft {0)." And tho' this Author earne^lly 
 contends that the Sahlatb was not inftituted from the 
 Creation of the World, but was firft appointed to the 
 Jews at the Giving of the Lav: ; (in v/hich Pofition 
 he hath been fufficiently conhited by m.any Learned 
 Men (^J, ) yet he exprefsly allows that God appointed 
 it for this Reafon, that " after His Example they 
 " might learn to Reft from their Worldly Labours ; 
 " and be the better fitted to Meditate on the Works 
 " of God, and to Commem.orate His Goodnefs mani- 
 *' fcfted in the World's Creation (q)" And therefore 
 tho' fuch Perfons, as have their Time endrely at their 
 Comm^and, may not, if they apply themfelves dili- 
 gendy at other Seafons to the private Exercifes of 
 Religion, be bound to employ y^ Tiiafiy of their Hours 
 therein upon the Lord's Day as others, vvho are con- 
 fined all the Week long to the Labours of their Cal- 
 lings ; yet they cannot be wholly excufed from them, 
 but are obliged to fpend fome confiderable Part of 
 the Lor^s Day^ in Reading and Meditation^ and die 
 A a 2 other 
 
 («) Se2 above. Part I. p. 9, 51. 
 
 (0) Hiftory of the Sabbath^ Part I. p. 86. 
 
 {p) See above Part I. chap. i. p. 9, ^:. 
 
356 A Difcourfe concerning the "' ' 
 
 other Duties of Religion ; which the very Nature 
 and Deilgn of the Chriftian Sahhath^ and the Obliga- 
 tion of keeping it Holy plainly demands and requires 
 of them. And in cafe they Hiall negled to do fo fas 
 it is now too common for rich and great Men to do) 
 they fhall anfwer as feverely to God at the Laft Day 
 for this Negled:, as the poorefl and meaneft amongfb 
 Men. And, 
 
 Secondly^ They are obliged to this Duty of Reli- 
 giouily obferving the Lor^s Day, that they may fet 
 a good Example of Piety and Goodnefs to the World. 
 This is indeed what all Chriftians are bound to do, but 
 it is more efpecially the Duty of all thofePerfons who 
 are of Eminent Station arldDignity ; inafmuch, as their 
 Example is apt to have the greateit Influence and Ef- 
 fe6t upon the Reft of Mankind. And therefore, how 
 perfectly foever fuch Perfons (liould be inftru(5led in 
 their Duty, and tho' they fhould apply themfelves di- 
 ligendy at other Times to the Reading of Holy Scrip- 
 ture, the Meditation upon Divine Things, the Educa- 
 tion of their Cnildren, and the other Exercifes of Re- 
 ligion ; yet they ought to fpend fome Part of the 
 Lories Bay in the fame Holy Employment, that they 
 may ('it a good Pattern before them, who have no 
 other Opportunities for the difcharging thefe Religious 
 Duties, and as much as lies in them, encourage them 
 to imitate and copy after it. And to fuch Perfons is 
 that Precept of our BleiTed Saviour principally to be 
 dire(5bed. Let your Light fo Jhine before Men, that they 
 may fee your good PForks, and glorify your Father which 
 is in Heaven, Matt. v. 16. And in the 
 
 Third and laft Place, They are obliged to the Re- 
 ligious Obfervation of the Lord's Bay, that they may 
 give no Scandal or Offence to their Chriftian Brethren. 
 This is a Duty wliich the Apollle plainly requires of 
 all Men ; Let no Man pit a Stumhling-hlock or an Occa- 
 fjon to fall in his Brother's Way. Ro?n. xiv. 13. And 
 Vguin, Give no O^^ence ricither to the Jews, nor 4o the 
 
 Gentiles, 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 3 57 
 
 Centiles, nor to the Church of God. i Cor, x. 32* 
 And how great die Danger of this Sin is, our Lord 
 'hath very feverely admonifhed us, TVo (faith hej imtr) 
 ihe Worlds lecaufe of Offences^ hut Wo unto that Mem by 
 whom the Offence cojneth^ Matt, xviii. 7. And in the 
 Verfe foregoing, Whofo JJoall offend one of thefe littk 
 ones that believe in Me., it were better for him that a Mill- 
 ftone were hanged about his Neck, and that he were 
 drowned in the depth of the Sea. And that this Duty 
 of not giving Offence to others, holds not only in 
 Things Effential, but alfo in fach as are IndiiTerent ; 
 is demonflrable from that famous D^cifion which St 
 Paul hath made of the Cafe of eating Meats that were 
 offered to Idols, i Cor. viii. Which tho' the Apoftle 
 had proved to be lawful and innocent in itfelf, (fince 
 an Idol was Nothing, and confequently there was no 
 true Confecration) yet becaufe there were many others 
 -who thought it unlawful to eat thofe Meats, it was 
 therefore Sinful for them to do it in their Prefence, 
 lefb they fhould give Offence and Scandal to fuch 
 Perfons, and by their Example draw them into Sin. 
 And in the laft Verfe of this Chapter, we have an 
 Account of ^the admirable Charity of the Apoftle in 
 .this Particular ; Wherefore, faith he, if Meat make 7>iv 
 Brother .offend, I will eat no Fleflo whUe the World ft and- 
 eth, left; I make my Brother to offend. And therefore \^ 
 the Religious Cbfervation of the Lord's Day were in 
 itfelf Indifferent, (the contrary to which has been fully 
 and clearly proved; yet all Men ought to forbear the 
 open Profination of this Day ; left they fhould give 
 Offence and Scandal to others. And v^hofoever fhall 
 profane this Holy Day, either by the Negled: of 
 God's Public Worflnp, or by fpending the remaining 
 Time in Vifiting of Friends, in Drinking, Gaming, and 
 Worldly Pkafures and Diver ft,ons, and thereby fhali 
 caufe the V/eak and Ignorant to fill into Sin, and to 
 negled the Religious Duties of the D.iv ; That Man 
 flaall be juftly chargeable with the Crime here con- 
 A a 3 demned 
 
358 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 demned by the Apoftle ; he wounds the weak Confcience 
 cf his Brethren^ and thereby fins ^agarnft Chrifi. v, 12. 
 and is g'.iilty of the Sin of deftroying thofe for whom 
 Chrifi died, Rom. xiv. 15. I am fenfible indeed that 
 Men are apt to complain very much upon this Head, 
 and think it very hard that they muft be debarred of 
 what they account their Juft Liberties ; left the Minds 
 of ignorant and fuperftitious Perfons fliould be difturb- 
 ed thereby. But I do not know how to find any 
 Relief for them under this Hardfhip. And tho' I 
 freely own there may at fometimes be fome Inconve- 
 nience in a6i:ing according to this Rule ; yet on the other 
 Side it is certain, that much greater Mifchief and In- 
 convenience would enfue, if this Reftraint upon the 
 Minds of Men were wholly taken away, and Men 
 were in all Cafes left to themfelves, to a6t according 
 to what they efteem their Juft Liberties. All that I 
 am concerned about at prefent, is to fhew that the not 
 giving Offence to others, even in Things indifferent 
 fand much more then furely in fuch as are neceffary 
 and effential) is the true Do6lrine of the Holy Scrip- 
 ture : and let thofe Men look to themfelves, who will 
 not be guided and diredled by it. And this I have 
 fully and clearly done from thofe feveral PalTages of 
 Scripture I have now mentioned. And from hence 
 it is very plain and evident, that tho* in fuch Cafes 
 where we hive the Warrant of God's Authority, or 
 the exprefs Injandions of our Superiours, we not only 
 may, but are bound to a61; as' we are commanded, 
 let Men be never fo much oitended and difpleafed with 
 us for fo doing ; and tho' in fuch Refpedis which are 
 of great Importance and Confequence to ourfelves or 
 to the Fiblic, and which are fo plain and obvious, 
 that Men cannot but perceive the Lawfulnefs of our 
 A6>:ons, if they be not grofsly wanting to themfelves, 
 we may ftand faft in, and contend for our Liberty, 
 tho' ot' er Men fhould be uneai]/ and difquieted there- 
 at : Yet in fuch Cafes as are doubtful and obfcure, and 
 
 m 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord's Day. 359 
 
 in which wife and good Men may eafily differ one 
 from another ; in fuch Cafes where Men are led into 
 Errours and Miftakes, by the ftrong Prejudices of 
 Education, and in which we may eafdy comply with 
 them without any great Inconvenience and Damage to 
 ourfelves, it is certain that we are to have^ Regard 
 to the Peace and Quiet of other Men in our Moral Ac- 
 tions, and ftiould forbear the Ufe even of juit Liber- 
 ties, rather than give any Offence and Scandal to o- 
 thers, and be the Means of drawing them into Sin. 
 And tho' I have often heard this Do6lrine mifrepre- 
 fented and ridiculed, (and efpecially when applied to 
 the Religious Obfervation of the Sahhath) as the Idle 
 Dreams only and Suggeftions of Fanatical Men -, yet 
 I am fully affured it hath been the conftant Senfe and 
 Judgment of the beft and greateft Divines, which 
 our Church hath had, fmce it was in Being. It would bs 
 eafy to produce innumerable Citations from our mod 
 Learned Writers to this Purpofe •, but it will be need- 
 lefs to trouble the Reader with them. I fhall there^ 
 fore only mention two Paffages from two noted Di- 
 vines, whofe great Zeal and Affedlion for the Effab- 
 lifhed Church, ' was never doubted or called in Quef- 
 tion. Thefirft, is the Tefcimony of a very Learned and 
 Pious Prelate of our Church, and particularly Emi- 
 nent for his great Skill and Knov^ledge in Cafuiftical 
 Divinity. This Excellent Author v/hen fpeaking of 
 the Ways by which we may abufe our Liberty, hath 
 thefe Words •, " When we ufe our Liberty, foasto 
 '" ftumUe the weak Confciences of our Brethren thereby, 
 *' I Cor. viii. 9. and will not remit in any Thing 
 '' the Extremity of that Right -^ni Power, v/e have in 
 " Things of an indifferent Nature, to ^/^^/^ our Neigh- 
 *' hour for his Good to Edification^ Rom, xv. 2. at leafl 
 *' fo far as we may do it without greater Inconve- 
 " nience •, we walk not charitably ; Ro7n. xiv. 15. 
 
 ^' and if not Charitably, then not Ch-'ftianly, ■ 
 
 ^^ This I fay, that v/here without great Inconvenience 
 A a 4 .^' we 
 
360 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 *' we may do it, it is not enough for us to pleafe our 
 *' fekes^ Rom. xv. i. and to fatisfy our own Confciences^ 
 '' that we do but what we lawfully may •, but we ought 
 *' alio to hear one another s Burthens^ Gal. vi. 2. and to 
 '' forbear for one anothers Sakes, what otherwife we 
 " might do, and fo to fulfil the Law of Chrifi. -^ — - 
 " It was an excellent Saying of Luther (m Gal. v.) 
 *• Cr/inia libera per Fidem^ o?nma ferva per Charitatem, 
 " We fhould know and ht fully perfwaded with the 
 *' Perfuafion of F^i/i?, that all Things are lawful -, 
 " and yet v/ithal we fhciild purpofe and be fully re- 
 *' folved for Charitfs Sake, to forbear the Uk of 
 " many Things, if we find them inexpedient. He 
 " that will have his own Way, in every Thing, he 
 " hath a ZzZ^^r/jV unto, whofoever fliall take Offence 
 " at it ; maketh his Liberty but a Cloak of Maliciouf 
 " 7iefs^ by ufing \t Uncharitably (r).'' Thus far that 
 Learned Prelate. The next Teftimony which I 
 ihall produce on this Occafion, is that of a late 
 Divine, whofe Character and Zeal for the Church 
 is well known to every one : and fpeaking of this 
 Matter he exprefleth himfelf thus •, " We may 
 '' partake of other Men's Sins, by giving Of- 
 *' fence or fcandalous Example. As Men are Mem- 
 " hers of Society, they fliand refponfihle not only for 
 " the Pofitive Legality of their A6lions, as confidered 
 *' in themfelves, and their own Natures ., folely with 
 *' refpecft to the Suhje5i Matter of them ^ but alfo for 
 *' their relative Corfequences, as they may affedt the 
 *' Confciences of others •, to which we are bound by 
 " the Laws of Charity., to give no Violation., Di- 
 " fiurhance, or Occafion of Tranfgrefling ; and in all 
 .*' our Depcrt?nent, to confult not only it's Lawfulnejs, 
 *"' but it's Decency ^nd Expediency, with regard to our 
 ^' Brethren •, againll whom we may Sin, (as St Paul 
 '^ fays, in the admirable State of this Cafe, i Cor. 
 ^' viii. 12.) and woujui their weak Confciences, and Sin 
 
 " againft 
 
 (r) Bp. ^a7i4erfonh Sermons, Fol.Part I. p, 300, 301, 
 
Religious Obfervatton of the Lord's Day. 361 
 
 *' againft Chrift. Thus the Abufe even of an Inno- 
 *' cent Liberty cannot be juftified by a good Intention ; 
 *' and we are liable to anfwer for the Fall of thofe, 
 ** to whom we become a StumUing-block^ and a Rock 
 *' of Offence (s)J' From all which it clearly appears, 
 that Men are to confult the Peace and Quiet and Edi- 
 fication of others in all their Moral Aftions ; and to 
 forbear even the Life of their juft Liberties, rather 
 than give any Scandal and Offence to their Neigh- 
 bours. And therefore, if the Religious Obfervation of 
 the Lord's Day were in itfelf Indifferent, yet all P*er- 
 fons would I5e obliged to avoid the Profanation of this 
 Day, out of a Principle of Tendernefs and Charity to 
 other Men ; and much more then certainly are they 
 bound to do fo ; when, as hath been clearly fhewn, 
 the Religious Obfervation of this Floly Day, and 
 that both publickly and privately, is the abfolute in- 
 difpenfable Duty of all ChrijUans, And I have in- 
 filled the longer upon this, in Hopes, that if Men 
 cannot be perfwaded of the NecefTity of this Duty, 
 on account of their own Perfonal ObHgations ; they 
 may be induced and prevailed upon to put itinPra6lice, 
 out of Regard to the Eafe and Quiet, the Happinefs 
 and Edification of their Mlow-Chrijhans. And indeed, 
 there is the greateft Reafon and Neceffjty for our put- 
 ing them in Mind of it ; fince the horrible Profana- 
 tion of the Lord's Day^ which is now grown cuitoma- 
 ry among us, not only gives the greateft Scandal and 
 Offence to the World, but hath alfo a moft fatal Effed: 
 and Influence upon the Morals of the Nation. For 
 by this means, in the Firfi Place, the public Worfhip 
 of God, is for the Sake of Company and Worldly 
 Pleafure, frequently negledled •, which is not only in 
 itfelf a NecelTary and Effential Duty of Religion, but 
 alfo, if duly and conftantly attended to, would tend 
 very much to render Men pious and good, as it na- 
 turally calls to mind the Being and Providence of God 
 and the Concernments of Religion-, and as the frequent 
 
 and 
 
 (sj Dr Sachz'ereir$SQrmon at che Affizes at Deri>jf 1709, p. iz" 
 
362 A Difcourfe C07icer7img the 
 
 and regular ConfefTion of their Sins, and their hearty 
 Prayers to God for the Forgivenefs of them, muft 
 needs make them in fome Meafure fenfible of the great 
 .Danger of Sin and Wickednefs, and the Abfolute 
 Neceffity of Holinefsand Virtue. But Secondly ^ This 
 is not all the Mifchief of rrofining the Lord'-, Bay^ as 
 hereby the public Worihip oi God is forfaken, but 
 by this means alfo the private Duties of the Day are 
 omitted, to the great Damage and Prejudice of the 
 Nadon. For, 
 
 Firft^ As many of thofe Perfons who frequently 
 profane the Lord's Day^ by dedicating it to Company 
 and Worldly Plealures ; will for the moll Part, be- 
 fore they partake of their Pleafures, come to Church 
 to join in God's Service and to hear His Word ; it 
 happens on this Account, that the great and neceflary 
 Duty of Meditating upon the Word preached to them 
 is neglected ; and fo the good Seed for want of falling 
 into good Ground, i. e. being received into the Heart 
 and Affections of Men, and duly applied to the true 
 State and Condition of their Souls, but on the contrary 
 being cboaked with the Cares and Riches and Pleajures of 
 this Life, hecotnes unfruitful, Luk. viii. 14. And this 
 proves fatal, and deftrudlive to Men in a double Ref- 
 peel, not only as through the want of Meditation, 
 the Preaching of the Word hath no Effedl and Influ- 
 ence upon them -, but alfo, as by this means they fruf^ 
 trate and defeat the End and Defign of one of the Bell 
 and moil Excellent Inllitutions, which Infinite Wif- 
 dom hath contrived for the Salvation of Mankind. 
 And, 
 
 Secondly, Upon the fame Account alfo, the great 
 Duty of Reading the Holy Scriptures is aim. oil en- 
 tirely negleded : By which means not only many 
 Children and Servants are unacquainted with their 
 Duty, but Parents and Mailers themfelves are kept in 
 Extreme Ignorance of it, and fo are like to be de- 
 Jlroyed for lack of Knowledge^ Hof iv. 6, And indeed 
 
 - the 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 363 
 thelo-norance of the Generality of the Common Peo- 
 ple in Scripture Knowledge and in the Effential Doc- 
 trines oHht Cbriftian Religion is fuch, (and I would to 
 God, that many of the better Falhion might not bs 
 taken into the Account) that no one, who is not ob- 
 liged to know it-, can poJibly apprehend it. I will^ 
 not enter into a more particular Defcription ot 
 this Matter, left I fliould give the Je7^s and other 
 Adverfaries of our Faith, too great a Handle of Re- 
 proach againft us. I ihall rather, lay berore the 
 Reader the Words of a very pious and learned Di- 
 vine of our Church upon this Occafion ; who com- 
 plaining of the great Negled of this Duty ot read- 
 ing the Scriptures, exprelTes himfelf thus, God 
 " knows a great many very ignorant People there are 
 '' amono- us, who know little more of God than the 
 '* Heathens did •, who fit in Darknefs and in the Valley 
 '^ of the Shadow of Death, in the very Reg:om of Light, 
 *' when the Dayfpring from on htgh hath vifited us, to 
 " give Iwht to them that fit in Darknefs — • and to gmds 
 " our Feet into the Ways of Peacer And how great 
 the Danger of this Negleft will be, the fame 
 Excellent Author well defcribes in the Words im- 
 mediately following. " Will it not (fatth he) be 
 '' an Impudent Thing for fuch Men to p ead Igno- 
 <-' ranee at the Day of Judgment who would not look 
 '' into the Bible, nor attend public Inftrucl:ions to 
 *' learn their Duty : who had the Means and Oppor- 
 ^' tunities of Knowledge, but would not ufe them ; 
 '• who took a great deal of Pains to be ignorant, and 
 '' to keep out of the way of Knowledge, v/hich fo 
 *' often croffed them, that they had much ado to 
 «' efcapeit? Whatever may be pleaded in excuie or 
 " the 'Ignorance of Heathens there can be no Excuie 
 ' '' hv Chriftians, who have the moft perfed Revela- 
 ^' tion of the Will of God, and will not look into n;. 
 *' This is a great Contempt of God, it is m Eftea 
 f ' to fay to God, Depart from us, for we defire not toe 
 - • • ' " Knowledo-s 
 
564 A DifcOurfe concerning the 
 
 '' Kncwledge cf thy Way 5^ J oh. xxi. 14. And it is 
 *" hard to fiiy which is the moft provoking Sin, to 
 ^' defpife the Knowledge of God, or to break his 
 '' Laws : Not to think it worth our while to know 
 " the Will of God, or through the Power of Temp- 
 " tation to tranfgrefe our Duty (t)'\ Thus far this 
 Excellent Writer. And it is apparently owing to the 
 Negledl of Reading, the ScriptiiLTs, of which this Au- 
 thor fo juflly complains ; that the Generality of Cbrif- 
 iians receive fo little Improvement and Advantage 
 from the Preaching of the GofpeJ. For being almolt 
 wholly unacquainted with the Scriptures, and in 
 great meafure Ignorant of the very Principles of the 
 Chriftian Do6lrine ; they are unable to difcern the 
 Force and Strength of thofe Reafons and Arguments 
 v/hich are grounded upon them, and thereby to be 
 inftrudled and flrengthened in the Chriftian Faith, and 
 influenced to the Praftice of Religion and Virtue. 
 And this is one great Mifchief, which the Profanation 
 of the Lor^s Bay hath brought upon us, viz. that 
 through the Negle(5l of reading the Scriptures and 
 other good Books at this Tmie ; many Chriftians be- 
 come utterly unqualified for the hearing of God's 
 Word, and are by that means kept in great Igno- 
 rance of their Duty, to the manifefl Hazard and 
 Danger of their Salvation. And how heavy and 
 dreadful the Account will be, which thofe Men fhall 
 give to God at the laft Day -, who thus contribute 
 to the Eternal Ruin and Deftrudtion of Mankind, by- 
 profaning the Lord's Bay for the Sake of a little Sen- 
 fual Pleafure and worldly Diverfion, I profefs I 
 tremble to think. And, 
 
 'thirdly^ It happens alfo upon the fame Account, 
 that, That great and neceflary {ii) Duty of Religion, 
 
 Divine 
 
 (t) Dean Sberlod on a Future Judgment, p. 282. 
 {u) Very few Terlbns, I doubt are fulficiently fenfible, hew 
 
 much 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 365 
 
 Divine Meditation^ is almoft entirely negledied. And 
 this proves of the mod Pernicious and Dedrudive 
 Confequence to the Souls of Men, and that in thefe 
 Three Refpedls. 
 
 Firft^ In that by this means, the Things of another 
 Life, tho* of infinite Moment and Importance in 
 themfelves, have litde or no EfFed and Influence upon 
 the Minds of Men, and are rendered Infufficient to 
 enable them to overcome Temptations, and to over- 
 balance the Force and Power of prefent Thing?. And 
 hence it comes to pafs, that the Generality of Chrif- 
 tians, notwithftanding their Profefiion of Religion, 
 and Belief of another Life ; have their Hearts and Af- 
 fedions too much fet upon the prefent World, and 
 are almoft wholly given up to the Riches, Honours, 
 and Pleafures of it. Andtho* many times they will 
 talk much about Religion and zealoufly perform the 
 External Duties thereof •, yet have really but little 
 more in them than the Form of Godlinefs at the fame 
 Time that they deny the Power of i/, as the Apoftle 
 fpeaks, 2 Ti?n. iii. 5. And how fatal this is to Religion, 
 and how deftrudlive to Mens Souls, is fo very 
 clear and evident to every one, that there is no need to 
 fpend any Time in proof of it. And that it is a cer- 
 tain and neceflary Effed: of the Negled of this Duty 
 of Divine Meditation^ hath been before fully fhewn in 
 the Chapter upon that Subjed. And, 
 
 Secondly^ The negled of meditating upon Divine 
 Things on the Lord's Day is alfo of the moft Perni- 
 cious 
 
 much Thought and Confideration, how much Care and Vigilancy, 
 1k)W firm a Refolution and earneil Contention of Mind is necefTary 
 
 to the Bufinefs of Religioni • Few I fear, confider, how 
 
 much Pains is ncceflary, to the floring of our Minds wi^h good 
 Principles, and to the fixing and riveting in our Souls all the 
 proper Motives and Confiderations to engage us to Virtue, that 
 in all Occafions of our Lives they may have their due Force and 
 Influence upon uj, fillotfon, Fol, III. j&. 383. 
 
366 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 cious and Dangerous Confequence to the Generality of 
 Mankind, inafmuch as through-the want of this, they 
 are not throughly grounded in the Faith and Acknow- 
 ledgment of Divine Providence ; a due and ftedfaft 
 Belief of which is abfolutely neceffary to the very 
 Life and Being of Religion, and to render Men Con- 
 tented in their Stations, and Patient under thofe Cala- 
 mities and Affli6lions which it jGhall pleafe God to fend 
 upon them. For, as was before fully {x) obferved, there 
 are many and great Difficulties in theAdminiflration of 
 Providence, which the wifeft of Men cannot poffibly 
 clear up and explain •, and it requires a more than 
 ordinary Attention to the Proofs and Evidences of a 
 Divine Providence, to be throughly perfwaded of, and 
 deeply grounded in the Belief and Acknowledgment 
 thereof. And unlefs Men are thus firmly convinced 
 of this great Truth (which as I there fhewed they can- 
 not be without a frequent and ferious Confideration of 
 the Proofs of it J every Difficulty which they meet 
 with in the Government of the World, will fhock 
 and confound their Faith ♦, and every great Afflidlion 
 and Misfortune which befalls them, will unavoidably 
 fill their Minds with Uneafmefs and Impatience under 
 it. And it is apparently owing to the want of a feri- 
 ous and frequent Meditation upon this great Point of 
 Religion, (and this is another Mifchief which the Pro- 
 fanation of the Lord's Bay hath brought upon us^ that 
 the Generality of Chriftians^ notwithftanding their 
 Profeffion of Faith in God, and Acknowledgment of 
 a Future State, are yet many Times fo very difcon- 
 tented in their Condition, and fo much difturbed at 
 the Inequalities of Fortune -, and particularly are very 
 apt to murmur and complain, and to be extremely 
 impatient under Sicknefs, and Pain, or any other Cala- 
 mity and Affli6tion which happens to them^ All 
 
 which 
 
 (x) See abcve^ Part 11, chap. iii. p, 230, ^c. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 367 
 
 which Evils would in a great Meafure be prevented, 
 if Men were firmly convinced and fatisfied by due 
 and careful Meditation, that all the Affairs of this 
 World are managed and conducted by an Infinitely 
 Wife and Good Providence. For this would make 
 them fully fenfible that that State and Condition of 
 Life is beft for them in which God hath placed them ; 
 and in Cafe it Ihould pleafe God to lay his afRiding 
 Hand upon them, they would fubmit thereto with 
 Chearfulnefs and Patience, as well knowing that 
 Affli5lion cometh not forth of the Buft^ neither doth 'trouble 
 fpring out of the Ground^ Job. v. 6. but that all Things 
 work together for good to them that Love God^ Rojn, viii. 
 28. and that their light Affli^ion which is hut for a Mo- 
 ment^ worketh for them a far more exceeding and eternal 
 weight of Glory ^ 2 C^r. iv. 17. And, 
 
 In the Third and laft Place^ The Negled of Medita- 
 ting upon Divine Things on the Lord's Day^ hath far- 
 ther this pernicious and deftru6tive Effedl and In- 
 fluence upon too manyPerfons among us ; that for v/ant 
 of being well grounded in the Principles of the Chrif- 
 UanKdigion, and fufHciently acquainted v/ith the Proofs 
 and Evidences of it*s Divine Authority •, they are al- 
 moll continually fubjed to great Doubts and Sufpicions 
 concerning the Truth and Certainty of it. That this 
 is in Fa^^ the Cafe of many Chriftians^ no one who 
 hath the lead Converfition with the World can pofTibly 
 deny. And it is in great Meafure owing to the Na- 
 ture of that Difcourfe, which now too generally prevails 
 among us, viz. the Ridiculing and Refleding upon 
 Religion, and raifing all manner of Objedlions againfl 
 the Truth of it. By which means it very frequently 
 happens that many Chriftians^ who for want of dili- 
 gently reading the Holy Scriptures and other good 
 Books which are wrote in Confirmation of their Re- 
 ligion, are not well acquainted with the Proofs and 
 Evidences of it •, are very much lliocked and difturb- 
 ed in their Faith and ProfefTion : Infomuch that tho' 
 
 fuch 
 
368 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 llich Reflexions upon and Objedtions againfl the 
 Chrifiian Religion, are not fufiicient to convince 
 them that it is falle, yet they manifeftly hinder them 
 from being firmJy perfwaded that it is true, and fill 
 their Minds with continual Doubts and Sulpicions con- 
 cerning the Truth and Certainty of it. And how 
 fatal llich Doubts and Stifpicio7is are to the Caule of Re- 
 ligion, any one may eafily judge ; fince, as the 
 Apoftle obferves, a douUe-7nmded Man is tinftaUe in 
 dl his JVays^ Jam. i. 8. And as the greateft Part of 
 Mankind are violently bent upon the Interefts and 
 Pleafures of this prefent Life, it w^ill be abfolutely 
 impoflible ever to divert them from the Purfuit of thefe 
 Things, unlefs their AfFedions are flrongly pras-in- 
 gaged with the Things of another Life ; which it is 
 as much ImpofTible for them to be, if they are not 
 iirmily and beyond all doubt perfwaded and con- 
 vinced of the Truth thereof. And this is another 
 great Mifchief which the Profanation of the hordes 
 Day hath brought upon us, viz, that by debarring Men 
 of this glorious Opportunity of reading the Scriptures 
 and other good Books, which would lledfaftly fix and 
 ground them in the Chrifiian ProfefTion \ they are fub- 
 jed to perpetual Doubts and Sufpicions concerning the 
 Truth of their Religion, which are of the mofl per- 
 nicious and deftrudive Confequence to their Piety and 
 Virtue. 
 
 Fourthly and laftly^ It is alfo owing to the Pro- 
 fanation of the Lord's Day-, that the Great Duty of 
 the' Religious Education cf Children is almofl entirely 
 negleded by the greateft Part of Mankind. The 
 abfolute and indifpenllible NecefTity of this Duty, and 
 the many and ineilimable Advantages which redound 
 from it to the Children themfelves, have been fhewn at 
 large in the foregoing Chapter. And confidering how 
 much Time will NecefTarily be required for a due and 
 fiithful Performance of this Duty ; it is evident at firft 
 fight, that the Generality of Chrifiians who are bound 
 
 to 
 
Religious Obfervdtion of f Be Lord's Day, ^6g 
 
 to attend all the V/eek long upon the Labours of their 
 Callings, have no other Seaion and Opportunity but 
 tbis^ in which they can difcharge it to any good 
 Purpofe ; and therefore if they negled: to perform it 
 at this Time, they muil negledl it altogether. And. 
 that this Neglect is of the mofl pernicious Confequence 
 to Young Perfons, I need not fpend any Time to 
 prove. For by this Means they are not only unac- 
 quainted with the Principles and Dodrines of the 
 Gofpel, (a due Knowledge of v/hich is abiblutely ne- 
 ceiTary to the Pradice of Cbriftiayi Piety and Virtue) 
 but are alfo not made in any Meafure fenfible of th^ 
 Obligation and Advantage of Moral Duties. And fo 
 for wane of being early inftruded in their Duty, and 
 and trained up in the Pradlxe of it ; they are fufif^red 
 to contract Flabits and Cufcoms of Sin and Wicked- 
 nefs, which for ever flick by and remain with them. 
 And hence it comes to pals, that v/hen they go abroad 
 into the World before they are well fixed and fettled 
 in their proper Buiinefs and ProfdTion ; they are too 
 often made a Prey to Crafty Seducers, and drawn away 
 into all the ExcefTes, and Extravagancies of the Age ; 
 till by Degrees they are fo hardened and confirmed in 
 Impiety and Debauchery, that it is impoffiblc by any 
 Humane Art and Means to recover them from it : an Ir- 
 reparable Damage tlAs, to humian Society, as well as Mat- 
 ter of the greatelt Grief and Vexation to many Parents 
 and Families. And this is another great Mifchief 
 which is derived from the Profanation of the Lord's 
 Day, viz, that thro' the Negled: of inftrucling Chil- 
 dren at this Time in Cbriftian Knowledge, many 
 Young Perfons are brought up in extreme and iliame- 
 ful Ignorance of their Duty ; and by that Means, for 
 v/ant of good Senfe and Conduct in the Government 
 of themfelves, are entirely abandoned and givcji up 
 to wicked Flabits, to the utter Ruin and Dcilrudioa 
 both of Body and Soul. VV'^hich great Evil, with 
 S.11 tlis others before-mentioned, might be in great 
 
 B b Meafure 
 
370 A bifcoiirfe concerning the ■ 
 
 Meafure prevented -, if Men could once be perfwaded 
 to obferve the Lord's Bay Religioujly^ by a regular and 
 conftant Attendance upon the public Worfhip, and 
 by a diligent Reading of the Holy Scriptures, and the 
 Meditation upon Divine Things, andbydifchargingthe 
 great Duty of Family Inflrudtion. And That Man 
 mufl be altogether ftupid and infenfible, who does not 
 difcern that the Devout and Religious Obfervation of 
 this Day, fif once it was become of general Pra6lice 
 and CuftomJ would apparendy tend not only to the 
 Benefit and Advantage of private Perfons, but alfo 
 to the public Good and Happinefs of Society ; as it 
 would be a mofl powerful Means to amend and redi- 
 fy the Morals of the Nation, and to improve all 
 Orders and Degrees of Men in true Piety and Virtue. 
 And indeed, when I ferioufly confider the many and 
 ineftimable Advantages which would manifeftly arife 
 from the Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Bay ; 
 I am allonifhed to find, that there fhould be fo many 
 Perfons among us, of good Senfe and Judgment, and 
 in no wife prejudiced againft Chrifttanity ; who fliould 
 eileem it to be a light and trivial Matter to pro- 
 fane this Holy Bay^ by frequently neglecting the 
 Public Worfhip ; or when they do attend upon it, 
 by dedicating the remaining "Time to Company and 
 Brinking and Worldly Pleafure^ to the great Offence 
 and Prejudice of Mankind. And it is lamentable to 
 think, how horribly the Lord's Bay hath been for a 
 long Time and is at prefent profaned, not only among 
 ourfelves, * but almoil throughout all Europe, In 
 Foreign Countries, Proteftant as well as Popijh ; it is 
 the general Culfom every Lord's Bay to have their 
 public Sports^ Plays, and Paft'^tes, in the Houles and 
 the Fields, immediately after Divine Service. And 
 it was fo in this Nation in the Beginning of the lafl 
 Century, when it was publickly ordered by King 
 Ja?nes I. and afterwards by King Charles I. that every 
 one v/ho was not a Recufant^ and could prove his At- 
 tendance 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 371 
 
 tendance upon his Parifh Church on the Lord* s Day ^ 
 fhould have free Liberty after Evening Service, to 
 join in any of the common Sports and Paftimes 
 which were allowed by Authority. And many godly 
 Minifters for refufing to read the Declarations publifli- 
 cd by thofe Princes for fuch Liberty of Sports^ were 
 fufpended from their Offices and Benefices^ and others 
 feverely treated in the Court of High Commijjion ( y). 
 It is not my Defign in the Mention of this, to de- 
 trad: in the leafl from the Goodnefs and Piety of either 
 of thefe Princes. For tho' I am far from thinking 
 with Dr //(?>•/?>, that the publifhing of this Declaration 
 by King Charles I. (^and the fame may be applied to 
 that of King James) was in Him " a F'loiis and Princely 
 " A5i^ nothing inferiour to that of Conftantine or any 
 ^ * other King or Emperour, ^V. {z)P or as he elfewhere 
 exprelTes himfelf (^), " that it juftly deferves to be re- 
 " corded among the Principal Monuments of his Zeal 
 *' and Piety ; fince I verily believe that the Publication 
 of them both was highly improper and unbecoming ; 
 and not only exprefsly contrary to the True Dodlrine 
 (h) of the Chriftian Sabbath^ but alfo fuch as gave the 
 greatefc Offence {c) and Difpleafure to many Pious 
 Bb 2 and 
 
 [y) Vid, Echard's Hiftory of England, Vol. I. p. 944. Raping 
 Hillory, 8vo. Vol. XI. p. 70. EchardYohU. p. 109. ^ 
 
 (2) Hiftory of the Sabbath^ Part II. p. 269. 
 
 \a) Dedication to his Hiftory of the Sabbath y p. 2. 
 
 \b) This New Encroachment upon the Sabbath gave both King 
 and People more Liberty to profane the Day, tho' the Archbi- 
 fhop and feveral of the BiHiopsr took the Liberty to declare againil 
 fuch Praftices. Echard Vol, I p. 944. 
 
 (c) Mr Echard fpeaking of King "James's Declaration, and the 
 Penalties which many Peribns incurred by refufing to read it, fays, 
 " All which gave great OiFence to ma;iy pious and confcientious 
 *' Perfons." ibid. And fpeaking of the Declaration of King 
 Charles I. he expreiTcs himfelf thus, *' The Publication of this, 
 " however pioufly intended, (meaning to withJJarJ bj this Means 
 \he Notions of the Puritans, as he had cbjerved in the Words 
 
 immediatch 
 
372 A DifcGnrfe concernmg the 
 
 and Religious People, and was of the moil fatal and 
 pernicious Confequence to the Peace and Security of'- 
 King Charles the Firft's Government [d). I fay, tho' 
 I am far from being able to difcover any great Piety 
 in this Aft of King Charles L yet on the other Side, 
 I freely acknowledge that neither this Declaration of 
 King Charles^ nor that ot his Royal Father were de- 
 figned in the leaft to difcourage and difcountenance 
 the Pious and Religious Oblervadon of the Lord'^ 
 Day ; but only to obviate and refute the talfe Nodons 
 of the Puritans^ who really judaized very much in 
 that Point, and extended the Obligation of the Sab- 
 hath a great deal loo far (e). But however, the pub- 
 
 lifhing 
 
 immediately foregoing) gave Offence to many of no fmall De- 
 votion, by reafon of the Minillers being fufpsnded, &c. " This 
 *' one Thing caufed more fpecious Grounds of Complaint againft 
 *' the King and the Archbifhop. than any other Part of the 
 " public Adminiftration; as having fuch outward Appearance of 
 " Irreligion and Profanenefs. For tho' fuch Liberties may be f o 
 '^ limited in the Notions of Learned Men, as to make them law- 
 " ful, yet it is hardly pra6licable fo to confine them to the Anions 
 '^ oF the People, as to keep tnem from degenerating into Licen^ 
 *' tioufnefs ; fo that the King's Declaration after a while died of 
 " itfelf, and it was wifhed by many wife and fober Men that it 
 " had never been revived." E chard Vol. II. p. 109. 
 
 (d) This (the Declaration of King James l) was one Caufe of 
 the many Mifchiefsin the fucceeding Reign. EchardVol. I. p. 944. 
 A-nd now (/^. D. 1633) as if //^f Dejiinies had confpired zgzin^^ the 
 Ki'^g and ihe Peace of the P>.ealm, his Majelly wasperfwadcd to 
 renew his Father's Declaration about Sports on the Lord's Day^ 
 &c. Hijlorv of England in 2 Vols^ %vo. Vol. I. p. 471. 
 
 (e)ViJ. 'Rapins^Hiilory o^ England 8vo. Vol. IX. p. 403. 
 Echard Vol. 11. p. 109. Hiflory of England 8vq. Vol. I. ibid. 
 And what is afierted in thofe Places by theie Learned Hiftorians, 
 is not only laid to the Charge of the Puritans by Dr Reylin 
 (Hiftory of the Sabbath., Part IL p. 2:3, &c.) but alfo is generally 
 to be oblerved in the Puritan Writers, and even in Dr Bound 
 himfelf, who is one of the moll Learned and Judicious of them 
 all; and who not only frequently argues from fuch Texts of 
 Scripture as relate folely to the Jezvs^ but alfo contends for fuch a 
 Striftnefs and Severity' in th? Ohiervation of the Sabbath^ as cannot 
 ,.. . be 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord*s Day. '^yj^ 
 
 lifhing of thele Declarations was extremely impru- 
 dent, and it would have been much better to have 
 born the too great Striofnefs of thofe Men, which 
 Time and Experience would by degrees have worn 
 Oil ; than by relaxing that^ to detract and derogate 
 from the Veneration of the Sabbath, which hath fo 
 great an Influence upon the Morals of the Nation. 
 For, from this Time, the pious Obfervation of the 
 Lord's Day hath declined in this Kingdom j and is at 
 prefent refolved into little more, than a bare formal 
 Attendance upon the Church at the ftated Seafons (and 
 this itfelf very often negleded by great Numbers) 
 without any other A.ppearance of Order and Devo- 
 tion. And inflead of that good Provifion for the 
 Souls of Men, which pious Parents and Mafters of 
 Families ufed formerly to make, by reading the Holy 
 Scriptures on the Lord's Bay, by jneditating upon and 
 difcourfing of Divine 'Things, and by injl ruling their 
 Children and Servants in Chriftian Knov/ledge •, it is 
 now become the too general Cuflom to Ipend this 
 Holy Time m.vifiting of Friends, in keeping of Company, and 
 in drinking, and JVorldly Pleafure, And, Clbrry I am 
 to fay it,) That which was obferved by a very 
 Pious and Learned Prelate of his Time, as a remark- 
 able Inftance of the fcandalous and immoral Lives of 
 the Irtfh Papifts ; is now too frequently exempli- 
 fied in the Pradice and Behaviour of too many Per- 
 fons of great Quality and Diflindion among us, viz^ 
 " If they had {fays he) any fignal Entertainment to 
 " make, any Journey or weighty Bufinefs to begin, 
 " they commonly chofe the Lord's Day for it (/)." 
 And indeed, in {ofhamefid and horrible a Manner is the 
 B b ^ Lord's 
 
 be fupported and juftified by the Gofpef of Chrifi ; rs the Reader 
 
 will plainly perceive, if he willconfulthisDifcourle, de Sabbato Fet. 
 ^ Nov. Tefiafnenti. lib. i. p. 124, 245, 247. Hb. U. p. 366. 
 {/J Archbifhop Kin^'i Sta'e of IrclaTiduvii^i King Ja.'nes the 
 S'?coi3d. p. 23 3. 
 
374 -^ Difcourfe concerning th 
 
 hordes Bay now profaned by all Orders and Degrees qS~ 
 Men among us, and that by negl:6ling the PuUic 
 Worfldip itfelf, as well as the other Religious 'Duties of 
 this holy Seafon ; that unlefs fome fpeedy Stop be put to 
 this wicked Pra5lice by thofe that are in Authorityy 
 the Chriftian Religion will be in great Dar-grr ot be- 
 ing loft in this Kingdom ; and we fhall foon be re- 
 duced to fuch a ftupd and mfenfiUe State and Condi- 
 tion, that nothing but the dreadful and terrible Judg- 
 ments of God will be able to awaken us out of it. 
 And fure, it is a melancholy Confideration for any Man 
 to reflcdl upon the prefent State of Religion in this 
 Nation ; to oblerve how faft Atheifm and Infidelity are 
 breaking in upon us ; and what a Deluge oiFrofanenefs^ 
 hnpiety^ and Debauchery abounds among us *, and how 
 few there are in comparifon, whofe Conuerfation is fuch 
 as hecomeththe Gofpel of Chrift^ Phil. i. 27. .and who 
 in any Meafure live up to thofe Heavenly and Divine 
 Principles which they profefs. And on the other fide, 
 to call to Mind how fclemnly God Almighty hath 
 declared in Scripture, tnat without Holinefs no Man 
 fhall ever fee Him. Heh. xn. 14. And that in the Words 
 of an Excellent Prelate before remembered, " Sooner 
 ^' may Heaven and Earth pafs away^ than a Wicked 
 '' Man enter into the Kingdom {g) of Heaven : " and 
 Confequently, that there cannot be the leaft Hopes 
 entertained upon Gofpel Principles^ but that the great- 
 eft Part of Mankind will be finally doomed to 
 Eternal Perdition {h). This, I fay, is a very Melan-- 
 
 choly 
 
 - -^ 
 
 (g) Tillotfon^ Vol. III. p. 199, 
 
 (I) See Matt. vii. 13, 14. It is a fad Thing to confider what 
 a Multitude of Souls for which the Blood of Chrift was Ihed, are 
 continually loft for want of that Knowle^'ge, which it was the Bu- 
 finefs of His Life to teach. How can our Charity be exerted bet- 
 ter than by copying the Example of our Lord and Mafter, in 
 fcattering and difpelling thofe Clouds of Ignorance, which over- 
 caft the Minds of Men ; giving Light to them that fit in Darknefi\ 
 and in the Shadow cf Death, and guiding their Feet into the Way of 
 Peace, Dr Littleton's Sermons, Vol. If. p. 224, 225. 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 375 
 
 choly Confideration' -, and it is enough to make the 
 Heart of any good Man bleed ferioufly to think and 
 refled upon it. And fure that Man muft be utterly 
 void of all Hi'Mamty^ (not to fay any due Senfe of 
 God and Religion^ v/ho can fee fo many of his Fel- 
 low-Creatures going on headlong to Everlafting De- 
 ftrudtion ; and will not do what lies in him, and 
 much more will not deny himfelf a litde trifling Plea- 
 fure (vv^hich yet he might freely enjoy at any other 
 Opportunity) in Order to prevent it. And this Con- 
 fideration fhould methinks engage all Perfons who are 
 well affe&d to Religion, to ufe their bed Endea- 
 vours to revive a tru3f Spirit of Chriftiamty among us, 
 by all Ways poffible, and efpecially by a Religious 
 Obfervation of the Lord's Bay •, v/hich of itfelf would 
 be a moil powerful and effeBual Means and Infirument 
 to this good Purpofe : And from a Senfe of the 
 prefent State and Pofture of Religion, fhould incline all 
 v/ife Men to the Extreme of obferving this Day^ with a 
 little more Stridnels than they may be {ij obliged to 
 rather than to contribute to the Infidelity, Impiety, 
 and Debauchery of the Age, by the Profanation of 
 it. But however, there is no Necefiity of running 
 into any Extremes : All that we d-efire of any Man is, 
 B b 4 that 
 
 (t)k late Learned Prelate, who was far from being over ftridland 
 rigid in his Notions of the Sabbath and Lord^s Day, feems to be en- 
 tirely of this Opinion ; and what his Grace obferved in hiiDays, will 
 I am fure hold much more ilrongly with Regard to ours. " Tho' 
 " (faith he)^ there are Mathematical and other Arguments, (which 
 *' truly I could wifh were well anlwercd) againil the Morality, 
 " there can be none againft Offices^ the Piety^ and Charity of the 
 ** LorcCs Day ; and thefe certainly render our Ferfons more accep- 
 '' table, tho' performed on Super ft itiotis Grcunds, than the Omiffion 
 " of them can do ; efpecially if the Duty be fhut out by any 
 " Secular Employmenc or Recreation, unlefs Mercy bring the Dif. 
 " penfation for the W^int ot Sacrijice,.'''' Archbifoop of TuamV 
 Life of Primate Bramhall, prefixed to his Works ^ P« 33* And the 
 Primate himfelf feenis to manifeft the fame Senfe and Judgment m 
 thi^ Matter, as the Reader \si\\ perceive in his Works, p, 93:}:. 
 
376 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 that he wodld obfbrve the Duties of the Day within 
 the jiift Bounds of Sobriety and Moderation. And 
 1 am fenfible that many well difpofed C/:;ri/?k/7j will 
 not widiout the greateft Difficulty be perfwaded even 
 to this ; left they fhould be depifed and ridiculed for 
 fo doing, and incur the Cenfure and Reproach of Fa- 
 mtkifai, or Entbi^fiafin. But yet on the other Side, I 
 would earneftly beg of fuch Perfons to confider that 
 where the Honour of God, and the Salvation of Mens 
 Souls lies at Stake •, every good Chrifmn ought to be 
 endued with fo much Courage as to be above Con- 
 tempt, and upon no Account whatfoever to foUo-j; a 
 Multitude to do EviU Exod. xxiii. 2. And particularly 
 upon this Occafion, T would recommxend to themi that 
 Wife and Excellent Obfervation of an Ingenious 
 Writer, viz. that how Ridiculous foever a Pretence 
 and mere Oltentation of Religion may be ; yet " Care 
 ' ' mult be taken however, not to let the Scandals of 
 '' theatrical Appearances divert or deter us from the 
 " Pradice of Holy Offices within the Bounds of 
 " Piety indigood Confcience % after the Example of thofe 
 '' who kt up for Atheifis^ for fear they fliould be 
 " t^kenfor Entbufiafls{k)." And what I have juft 
 now obferved, concerning the Deplorable Effedls and 
 Confequences of profaning the Lord's Day ; will I 
 hope be a fufficient Apology with all my Readers for 
 my firft undertaking this Work, and for infilling fo 
 much upon the abfolute Neceffity and Ineftimable Ad- 
 vantages of a Religious Obfervation of this Holy 
 Seafon. And yet God forbid, that I ffiould lay a 
 heavy and unnecefTary Burthen upon my Fdlow-Cbrif- 
 tians and Brethren, or in the leaft endeavour to debar 
 them of any of thofe jull: Liberties which are indulged 
 them by the GofpeL And therefore the better to qualify 
 
 (k) VEftrangeh Fables, Vol. I, p. 262. 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord's Day. 377 
 
 the feeming Severity of the Dodlrine which hath been 
 advanced upon this Subje6l, and to prevent any Cen- 
 fure and Mifreprefentation to which it may be liable ; 
 I defire that it may be received and underftood witli 
 thefe following Reilridions and Limitations. As, 
 
 Firft, "When a Man hath duly and devoutly attend- 
 ed upon the Public Worfhip on the Lord's Bay •, I do 
 not think it will be any Sin and Tranfgrefnon in hini 
 to call upon a Neighbour at his Retu-rn from Church, 
 to pay a decent Civility and Refpe6t for a little Time, 
 Provided, he does not ftay too long, and by that 
 Means negle6l the Neceflary Affaix^s of Family-In- 
 ilruftion and Divine Meditation. Neither, 
 
 Secondly^ Do I efteem it to be unlawful for a Maii 
 that hath no Charge upon him, to repair at this Time 
 to fome Sober and Difcreet Family, where he may 
 have the Opportunity of fpending fome Part of the 
 Evening in pious and good Converfation ; Provided, 
 that he does not by this Means negle6l the Duties of 
 Reading the Scriptures and of Divine Meditation 
 himfelf, nor hinder the Family where he goes from 
 difcharging of theirs. Neither, 
 
 Thirdly^ Do I think That Man is to be blamed who 
 upon an Extraordinary Occafion Cv/hen he has no o- 
 ther Opportunity of meeting v/Ith him) fhall go at 
 this Time to fee a Particular Relation or Friend : Pro- 
 vided, that upon this Account he does not neg]e6i: the 
 Pubfic Worfliip, either in his own or in the Neigh- 
 bouring Church where he goes, nor be the Means of 
 detaining and hindering any other Ferfons from at- 
 tending thereupon. Nay, I will not condemn that 
 Perfon, who upon a very Urgent Necejfity^ fhall abfenc 
 himfelf for the whole Bay from the Service of the 
 Church, and alfo employ little or none of the P.e- 
 maining Time in private Reading and Meditation : 
 Provided, the Cafe is abfolutely NeceiTary, and of 
 fuch Importance, that all v/ife and reafonable Men 
 will juftify his Condud and Behaviour tlierein. And, 
 
 In 
 
378 ' A Dijfcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 In the Fourth Place ^ When Men have diligently at- 
 tended upon the Public Worfhip, and in due Meafure 
 refiedied and meditated upon the Word of God 
 preached to them (which I have before fhewn to be 
 the abfolute and bounden Duty of all Men) tho' they 
 cannot be excufed from the Private Religious Duties 
 of the Lord's Ba)\ fuch as Reading, Meditation, and 
 the like ; yet they mull in great Mcafure be left to 
 their own Liberty, in what Manner and in what Pro- 
 portion and Degree they fhall obferve them ; and no 
 Man in this Cafe, is to tie up another to thofe Rules 
 and Methods, which he thinks fit to prefcribe to himfelf. 
 And after all that hath or can be faid upon this Sub- 
 jed:, the Obfervation of a very Pious and Excellent 
 Prelate hereupon will hold good, "jIz. " That the 
 " Laws both of God and Man have in this matter 
 '' left a great deal to Mens own Difcretion, and the 
 '' Circumftances they are in (/)." And if Men will 
 have a due Regard for God's Public Worfliip, and 
 fufficiently difcharge the other Duties of Religion, 
 fuch as Reading the Holy Scriptures, Meditation upon 
 Divine 'Things^ Self-E>:a?nination^ d'ld the Education of 
 their Children^ we will not in the Icaft contend with 
 them concerning the Seafon and Manner in which 
 they fhall difcharge them •, but the more they employ 
 themifelves in thefe Religious Exercifes on the IVeek 
 Days^ the lefs they may apply themfelves to them on 
 the Lord's Day, and may then perform them in fuch 
 Manner and with fuch Variety, as is mi oil proper and 
 expedient for them. And even as to fuch Perfons, 
 who being confined all the Week long to the Labours 
 of their Callings, have no Opportunity but that of 
 the Lord's Day, for the Exerciie of thefe Religious' 
 Duties j they alfo mull be in great Meafure left to 
 
 themfelves. 
 
 (t) Archbilhop Sl'arp's Farewel Sermon at St Giles's 1691. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 379 
 
 themfclves, as to the Degree and Manner in which 
 they fhall difcharge them. They may read the Scrip- 
 tures and other good Books, more upon one Lord's 
 Day than they do upon another : They may fpend 
 more of their Time on one of thefe Holy Seafons in 
 Self-Examination, Meditation on Divine Things, and 
 the Inftru6tion of their Children, than they do on 
 another. And Provided, they difcharge thefe Du- 
 ties in fuch Meafure as the Nature and Defign of 
 Religion requires of them \ i. e, if they read the 
 Scriptures and other good Books, fo as to be fully 
 confirmed in the Belief of Chriftianity^ and flifficiently 
 inftruded in the Duties of it y if they meditate fo much 
 and often upon Future Retributions, that they have 
 a due and regular Effe6l and Influence upon their 
 Minds, by convincing them of the great Danger of 
 Sin, the Vanity of all Earthly Enjoyments, and the 
 NecefTity of fetting their Hearts and Affedlicns upon 
 Heavenly Things ; if they examine themfclves fo 
 much as to underftand the true State and Condition of 
 their Souls, and to be the more effecLually excited 
 thereby to Repentance of their Sins, and the Refor- 
 mation of their Lives -, if they fpend fo much of their 
 Time in the Religious Education of their Children, 
 as that they are fufficiently infcru£ted in Chrtjlian 
 Knov/ledge, and confirmed in the Practice of Reli^ 
 gion and Virtue, I fliy, if Men will thus perform 
 thefe Duties of Religion, fo as to anfv/er the End and 
 Defign for which they were appointed ; they may be 
 affured that they perform them in fach a Manner as 
 "IvilJ be well pleaiing and acceptable unto God. And 
 when Men have thus obferved tiie Lord*s Day Religi- 
 oujly^ by a due and regular Attendance upon the Of- 
 fices of the Church, and by difchar.ging the private 
 Exerciles of Religion; they m.ay reasonably apply to 
 themfelves thofe Words of our Saviour, concerning 
 the Chriftian Sabbath, which v/ere fpoken by Hini 
 concerning the JevSiJId^ viz. the^ Sabbath was made for 
 
 Man 
 
2^6 A IDlfcourJe concemifig the 
 
 Mayi^ and not Man for the Sdbhath. Markn. 27. And 
 particularly, what an Excellent Prelate obferves with 
 Regard to the Generality of Mankind^ is very Juftand 
 Pertinent, viz. " That they ^vho on all other Days 
 *' are confined to hard Labour, or are other wife ob- 
 '' liged to a clofe Attendance on their Worldly Af- 
 *^' fiirs, muil be allowed in fome Meafure to confider 
 *' //jii, as a Day of Eafe and Relaxation from 
 '' Thought and Labour, as well as a Day of Devo- 
 " tion ; provided it be in a Way that is innocent and 
 *^^ indffenfive, and that the public Offices of Reli- 
 *' gion be duly attended, and the Duties of a more 
 ^' private Nature be not negledled (?/zJ." And what 
 his Lordihip here obferves of the Chrtftian Sabbatb, was 
 formerly applied by the bed Pagan Writers, to the 
 Heathen Feilivals, L e, they thought they were not only 
 inftituted and appointed for the Honour and JVorJJjip of 
 God •, but alfo for the Eafe and Comfort^ the Refrefh- 
 inent and Delight of Mankind (n). And therefore if 
 Men will be careful and diligent in the Religious Ob- 
 fervation of the Lord's Day, both with Refpedl to the 
 Public and Private Duties of it •, they are at full Li- 
 berty to fpend the Remainder of this Day as they 
 think fit, either by walking in dieir Gardens or in the 
 Fields, or by converfmg with their Friends, or in any 
 other Way which is mofl pleafing and agreeable 
 to them (0) ; Provided, that they be careful not to 
 
 abufe 
 
 (;«) Bp Gibfon\ firfl Paftoral Letter, p. 46. 
 
 7Qi^ Bioli. Plato de Legibus. lib. it. 
 
 Nafcitur ex Affiduicate laborum, animorum hebetatio qusdafn 
 & larguor. — — Legum Conditores Feftos inftituerunt dies, ut ai 
 Hilaritatem homines publico cogerentur, tmquam Necefiarium La- 
 boribus interponentes Temperamentum. Se/:e.\ de Tranquil. Anirii. 
 cap. XV. 
 
 (0) Nequettamen omnis corporis recreatio hie omnino prohlbetwrj, 
 «t quae etiam inter fines Sabbathi eft \ fcilicct qi>as divinum cultum 
 non impedit, &, facris pera6lis, honefte, decenter, moderate, &: 
 fine Offenlione & Scandalo fit. S^nopfs purioris Tl:eologii Bifpuiai. 
 xxl §.58. 
 
Religious Objeroation of the Lord's Day. 3S i 
 
 abufe their Liberty by turning it into Licentioufnefs^ and 
 that they do not indulge themfelves in fuch Fleafures ; 
 nor partake of fuch Diverfions, as are inconfiilent 
 with the Dignity of the Sea/on, the Piety and Gra- 
 vity of good Cbrijliam, and afibrd juft Matter of 
 Offence and Scandal to good Men (/;J. And I think 
 no one who hath any true Regard and Concern for 
 the Honour of God and Religion, can poPubly elLeeni 
 it a hard and fevere Burthen, to obferve the Lord*s 
 Day in the Manner which hath been laid down, by 
 performing the Religious Duties thereof both public 
 and private ; when at the fame Time, all due illlow- 
 ance is mads for the Eafe and Relaxation from 
 Thought and Labour, and for the moderate Refrefli- 
 ment and R.ecreation of Mankind. If indeed we 
 Aiould require Men to turn Hermits, and to fequefter 
 themfelves altogether from the Converfation of Man- 
 kind, that they might give themfelves up wholly to 
 Devotion and Prayer, and to Divine Study and Me- 
 ditation, (as hath been done for many Ages in the 
 Church of Rome) they would have fufHcient Caufe 
 and Ground of Complaint againll us. But fuch a 
 State as this is not only unfjitable to the Nature of 
 
 Mankind 
 
 (/■) Nothing at all jdiould be admitted (on the Lorfs Day) which 
 is direftly an Enemy to Religion, or no Friend to it, not only 
 becaufe Natural Reafon does abhor all Irreligious A6> ion?, efpecia/ly 
 upon a Day of Religion; but becaufe all the pious Men and Law- 
 givers of the Chrifti/in Church have made Complaints and Re- 
 ilraints refpedlively of all Criminal or Scandalous Anions upon that 
 Day ; witnefs St Ignatius, Tertulhant St Gregory^ St Aujii?:, he, 
 all which complain of, and forbid the evil Ulages of the profaner 
 Men, who fpend the Lord*s Day, which by the Church of God, 
 in Imitation of God Himfelf, and in Celebration of the greateil 
 Myftery of our Redemption, was appointed for the folemn Service 
 of God ; in riotous Eating and immoderate Drinking, vain Feails, 
 and wanton Paijcings, Enterludes and Songs. Bijhop TaylorV 
 Ducior Duhhantlum, Book II. chap, it, p. 278. 
 
 Grafiter ivccffimus Dominica; diei prophanatores, qid jwn modo 
 non neceffariis & alienis a^iorabus^ut fpeSiaculis., ludU\fcenifque.,Jed{r 
 Intemperantia, Luxu, o'nnique ge?isre fiagitiorumy earn znolavt, in 
 irnparabile lnfirmoru?n fcnndaliim^ ^ horrerJum dedecus Cbri/iiaii 
 Hominis* Synopfis purioris Theologian, ibid. §. 60. 
 
3^2 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Mankind (being compatible only to a Being that is 
 abfolutely periedl, and as fuch, is beyond the want 
 and need of Converfation, or to a Brutal Creature 
 which is utterly infenfible of the Benefits {q) thereof ) 
 but it is moreover entirely inconfifcent with the Trial 
 and Probation of Men, and with the Nature and 
 Condition of Moral Virtue ; which does not confift 
 in being placed out of the Reach of the Temptations 
 of the World, and being wholly infenfible of the In- 
 terefis and Pleaiures of it \ but in converfing with 
 Mankind, and living in the V\^orld, and yet getting 
 the Vidory and Mafi:ery over it fr). But fmce we 
 do not require of any Man, with regard to the Lord'^s 
 Day\ any more than what the Holy Scriptures plain- 
 ly demand of all Chrijiimu^ and which fas hath been 
 clearly fhewn in the foregoing Difcourfe) is not 
 only dieir indifpenflible and bounden Duty, but is 
 moreover abfolutely neceffary to their true Happinefs ; 
 I hope they will all be induced and prevailed upon by 
 thefe Confiderations, to a due and regular Obferva- 
 tion thereof. And thus much concerning the Manner 
 in which the Lord''s Day ought to be obferved, as ap- 
 pears from the Nature and Reafon of the Thing itfelf, 
 and the plain Teftimony of God's Word. Nothing 
 now remains but that in the laft Place, I proceed to 
 fhew that what hath been delivered upon this Subjeft, 
 as the clear Suggefcions of Natural Reafon, and the 
 Ei^ident Tellimony of Holy Scripture ; is further 
 fupported and confirmed by the Senfe and Judgment 
 of thofe Perfons, v/ho muft be allowed to be the beff, 
 and mofl: competent Judges in this Matter. And this 
 I fhall endeavour to do in the following Chapter. 
 CHAP. 
 
 ^aipK.6iCtv, aJ^£{/ fA^^ TTo^zc-j^, c^g^ J) ^eloi' » 0^©-" Arijlot, 
 Folk lib. i. cap. ii. frj Oy /s cT' JVi 'r^fet izr.vru? etVijp (rcJ(ppco'^ Wcu 
 
 Wfgp^x, C5>r. Ariftot. Uag.Ucral. lib. i. cap. Xxii. 
 
Religions Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 383 
 
 CHAP. vir. 
 
 Containing the Teflimonies of Pious and Learnei 
 Men^ both in the former a?id latter Ages of the 
 Churchy concerning the Manner of religioujiy 
 obferving the Lord's Day. 
 
 N the foregoing Chapters I have 
 fliewn the Manner in which the 
 Lord's Day ought to be obferved, 
 both with refped: to the public and 
 private Duties of it ; and that from 
 the Nature and Reafon of the Thing, 
 and from the Teftimony of Holy. 
 Scripture. I proceed now, in the lajl Place, to fliew 
 that what hath been delivered upon this Head, is fup- 
 ported and countenanced by the Authority arid Judg- 
 ment of thofe Perfons, who muft be allowed to be 
 the beil and moft competent Judges in this Matter. 
 And this I think very neceiTary to be done at this 
 Time, becaufe the Religious Obfervation of this Day 
 in the Manner which hath been laid down, is now 
 confidently aiTerted to be a great Errour and Miflake 
 of fome Gver-Zcalous and Siiperftitious Men ; who 
 without any jufl Grounds and Reafons would fain ob- 
 trude their own Notions upon others, and lay a heavy 
 and unneceflary Burthen upon their CkrijUan Brethren, 
 
 ' ■ ■ But 
 
384 A Difcou?fe cmcermng the 
 
 But from what has been confidered already, and from 
 the Teftimonies which I fhall now produce , I believe 
 it will be very eafy to determine on which fide the 
 Errovir and Ignorance lies •, whether on the fide of 
 thofe who contend for the Pious and Religious Oofer- 
 vation of the Lord's Bay^ or of fuch, who accule them 
 of too much Zeal and Superfrition upon that Account. 
 And indeed there ai*e fo many TelLimonies to be found 
 to this Purpofi in all Ages of the Chriftian Church, 
 and that amongft Divines of all Communions and 
 Perfuafions *, that it would be an endlefs Thing to re- 
 cite them alii I fhall therefore only mention fuch of 
 them as are the chief and principal, and which ought 
 to have a more efpecial Eife6l and Influence upon us. 
 Now not to mention the many v/ife and excellent 
 Laws, which have been made in this Kingdom to 
 prevent all Worldly Labours and Bufmefs (jj, and to 
 prohibit all vain Sports and Paftimes^ ^c. upon the 
 Lord's Day^ in order that it might be the more Reli- 
 giouGy obferved both publickly and privately. ('And 
 many o-f thefe Laws are to be found as early as the 
 ■Saxon Kings, both in the Civil and Ecclefiaftical Con- 
 ftitutions {t), ) And many Excellent Laws there are 
 to the fame Purpofe, made fince the Reign of King 
 James I. to our Times {u)y which upon certain Fines 
 
 and 
 
 (/) They (the ^axon Princes) prohibited by an exprefs Law, 
 3iot only to exerciie any Calling, but to do or tranfadl any World- 
 ly Bufmefs on the SrMatb Day ; and this Law not being [ever 
 repealed chat we know of, nor (as it is to be hoped) ever grown into 
 fuch Univerfal Difufe, as to induce a Probability of a Repeal; why 
 flioald it not be the Common Law of England ? So ftrift were our 
 pious Anceflors in keeping this Day holy- &c, 'Judge FortefcueV 
 ■Preface to Chancellor FortefcueV ^freatife of Abfolute and Limited 
 Monarchv^ p. 48. See th£ Place. 
 
 (t) Vid. Spelman ConciL Sec. Vol. I. p. 183, 195, 249, 269, 
 
 377) 404? 4+S» 55^- 
 
 {ti) If the Reader hath a mind, he may fee thefe Laws collefled 
 together in one View in Dr Prideaux^s Direciions to Church War- 
 dens, (). 12, 13. and in Dr Grefs Syjlem of Ecclefiajlical Law, 
 T.7. 10, i'. q6, ^s-c. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 38c 
 
 and Penalties therein mentioned, forbid all manner of 
 Bodily Works and Labour on the hordes Day^ ("Works 
 -of Neceflity and Charity only excepted) all Sale of 
 ^Goods on this Bay^ (unlefs in one or two paruculaf 
 :Cafes where the NecefTity of the Thing makes it 
 reafonablej all driving of Catde on this Bay^ all En« 
 terludes, Common Sports and Paftimes, and refort- 
 ing to Public Houfes of Entertainment, and the like. 
 Which Inftances I do not here alledge, to fliew what 
 the Laws of our Land have enaded upon 'this Occa- 
 fion, (for that is foreign to my prcfent Defign) but only 
 to fhew what hath been the Senfe and Judgment of 
 the wifeft and greatcft Men both in Church and State, 
 -who made up thcfe Councils and AfTemblies in which 
 thefe Laws were ellabliflied ; and that how great a 
 Conceit foever any Perfons among us may have :of 
 their own Knovv^ledge and Judgment, yet furely there 
 is fo much Regard and Reverence due to the Legif- 
 lators of the Land *, as fhould render us extremely 
 careful hov/ we charge them with Ignorance and Super- 
 fiition. But I will not pafs over this Matter, without 
 taking Notice of a mofl Excellent PalTage in the 
 Speaker of the Houfe of Cofnmons's Speech to King 
 Charles II. when he prefented the Bills to him for his 
 Royal Affent, in the third Sejffions of the Second Par- 
 liament. *' The Foundations, faith he, of true Hap- 
 ". pinefs are from above. We have therefore in the firjl 
 " Place perufed the Laws w^hich enjoin the Obfer- 
 '^ vation of the Lord's Bay, and where we found any 
 " Pefed, either in Rules or Penalties, we have with 
 " great Care fupplied them -, well knowing, that he 
 *' who doth mot ranember mt the firft Bay of the Week- 
 '> /oo^rz?^ /J Chriftian Sabbath, z;;ill Hazard before the 
 " Week conies round, to forget that he is a Chriftian (^).'* 
 But, I fay, not to mention the many Wife and 
 
 C c Excellent 
 
 ix) Echdrd's ni<^ory o'i England, Vq\, HI. p. 108. The 
 SMbath if it v/ere duly obferved and kept with as much Reve- 
 
 ren.ce 
 
586 A Difcoiirfe concerning the 
 
 Excellent Laws which have been ena6led in this Land 
 for the more devout and religious Obfervation of the 
 Lord's Day ; I fhall only at prefent in Confirmation of 
 this Matter, Firfty Lay before the Reader the Senfe 
 and Judgment of the Primitive Church in the pureft 
 Ages of it. And, Secondly^ I fliall produce the Tefti- 
 monies of fome of the mod Pious and Learned Wri- 
 ters of our own Church. And if it can be clearly 
 fhewn, not only, that the Laws of the Land (which 
 ought to be the Rule of our Obedience) are founded 
 upon that Notion of the Religious Obfervation of the 
 Lords Day^ w^hich I am now contending for ; fof 
 which I have taken notice already) but that the Primi- 
 tive Church in the pureil Ages of it, and the greateil 
 Men of our own Church Jiave been exadlly of the 
 fame Mind and Judgment upon this Queftion -, I think 
 nothing more can be neceflary to expofe the Folly 
 and Rafhnefs of thofe Perfons, who charge this No- 
 tion with Errour and Superftition. And, 
 
 Firft then, I will lay before the Reader, the Senle 
 and Judgment of the Primitive Church of Chrift 
 upon this Point. And an Eminent Writer on this 
 Subjed, who was far from being too ftridl and rigo- 
 rous in his Notions ♦, hath laid it down for a Rule in 
 this Matter, " That the beft Grounds that a Devout 
 " Chriftian can go upon to know what the Law of 
 '' Nature and the Evangelical Law do prefcribe as 
 *' neceflary for the right Obfervation of the Lords 
 " Day, is the Pradlice of the Primitive uncorrupted 
 *' Church, and the Examples of devout and difcreet 
 " Chriftians (y)." Now in reprefenting the Senfe 
 and Judgment of the ancient Church in this Parti- 
 cular 
 
 rence as it ought ; would have an Influence on the Whole following 
 Week, and tend to keep at all Times and Places, that awful Re- 
 gard for the Majejiy of God, in which the Life of all Piety con- 
 fifts. Dr Littleton's Sermons. Vol. II, p. 184. 
 {x) Archbifhop Bra7uhairs, Works, p. 930, 
 
'Religious Obfervatio?! of f he Lord's D-2iy, 387 
 
 cular, it will be needlefs to fpend mucli time in fliew- 
 ing the conftant and univerfal Pradice of the Primi- 
 tive Chriftians, in attending upon tlie Church on the 
 Lord's Day, in order to join in-God's public Worfhip, 
 to hear His Holy Word preached, and to receive the 
 Blefied Sacrament, and the like ; for this many Per- 
 fons among us will not deny, but will readily ac- 
 knowledge the Neceflity of this Duty, who are yet 
 very loofe and corrupt in their Opinions and Senti- 
 ments concerning the Religious Obfervation of this 
 Day. Bur, becaufe there are too many others (who 
 yet profefs themfelves Chriftians), who are fo far from 
 being fenfible of the Obligation of this Duty, that 
 they rather make a Jefl and Ridicule thereof ; it may 
 not be amifs once again to put them in Mind, that the 
 Duty of attending upon the public Worfhip at the 
 •ftated Seafons, is not only exprefsly -required by God 
 in Holy Scripture, as being of the utmofl Importance 
 and Confequence to Religion, and recommended by 
 all wife Lawgivers and good Men in all Ages of the 
 World, but is alfo farther enforced upon us by the 
 conftant and univerfal Example of the Primitive 
 €hrifiians •, as hath been before fhewn at large (z). 
 And therefore I earneftly beg of fuch Perlbns to con- 
 fider, how they can reconcile it with the Name and 
 Charadler of Cl^riftians ; to a6t fand eipecially in' a 
 Cafe of fo great Moment^ contrary to the con- 
 ftant Judgment and Pradice of all good Chrijiiansy 
 and particularly thofe of the beft and pureft Ages 
 of the Church. But, becaufe the greateft Part of thofe 
 who are lax and remifs in their Behaviour upon this 
 Day, do not fit is to be hoped J objed againft the 
 NecefTity of God's public Worfhip -, therefore I fhall 
 fay no more of it at prefent ; but ftiall proceed to fhew 
 the great Regard which the Primitive Chri§fians had 
 
 C c 2 to 
 
 {^) Su above Part 11, chap. i. 
 
388 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 to the Pious and Religious Obfervation of the hor^s 
 Day^ in Performance of the JPrivate Duties thereof. 
 And indeed, fo Eminent and Remarkable were the 
 Primitive Christians for the Religious Obfervation of 
 this Holy Seafon, that as a very good Judge {a) in this 
 Matter truly remarks, " T\\q Lord^ s Bay was among 
 '' them mofi fokmnly obferved ; and not only private 
 ^" and public Devotion, and a conftant Attendance 
 '' upon the Houfe of the Lord ; but alfo the Exer- 
 f ' cife 0^ every Chrijlian Virtue ^^Ntxt the whole Employ- 
 " ment of it." And to ufe the Words of our mofl 
 Learned Antiquary^ " The L(rrd^s D^jy was obferved 
 " in the ancient Church from the very Time of the 
 ^' Apoftleswith great Veneration fZ')." But that the 
 Reader may the more fully perceive the great Zeal 
 and Care which the Primitive Chriftians manifefled 
 for the Religious Obfervation oi i\{is Holy Bay \ it may 
 not be improper to reprefent it to him under thefe 
 three feveral Heads and Diftindiorjs. Firft^ The 
 many Wife and Excellent Lazvs and Canons which 
 were made by them to this good Purpofe. Secondly ^ 
 The pious and ufeful Inftrudlions, which are given to 
 the fame End by the Fathers of the Church, both by 
 Precept and Example. And '^birdly^ The great and 
 uncommon Piety and Gcodnefs of the iirik Cbriftian 
 Emperours in this Particular. And Ftrft^ The great 
 Zeal and Care which the Primitive Chrijlians mani- 
 feiled for the Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Bay^ 
 will appear from the many Wife and Excellent Laws 
 and Canons which v/ere made by them, to this good 
 Pu- pofc. And many of thefe Laws are flill preferved 
 in the ^hecdcfian and Juftinian Codes \ and the Canons 
 of the Church are to be feen in the Hiftory of the 
 Councils. And out of both of them there are many 
 
 good 
 
 {a) Bifhop of Cloghers Sermons at Tunbndge Wells^ I7i4> P- 9= 
 \b) Bingbam\ Antiquities, Vol. IX, lib, xx. cap. ii. ^. i. 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord's Day. 389 
 
 good Colledions made by Dr Cave (f), Mr Bingham 
 (d), and feveral other Learned Writers. It may not, 
 be improper to fet before the Reader fome of the Chief 
 and Principal of them. Thus, in the Firft Place, that 
 the Lord's Day might be obferved with the greater So- 
 lemnity and Veneration, the firft C riflian Emperours 
 ordered all the Heathen Courts to be fhut up, and forbad 
 all Judicial Proceedings at this Time, except in fome 
 Cafes of great NecefTity and Charity (e). 
 
 Secondly^ They prohibited all Secular and Servile (f) 
 "Works and Labours, except in Cafes of the like Na- 
 ture. And whereas, it was allowed by Conftantine the 
 Great, that Country-men might at this Time follow 
 their W^orks of Hufbandry, efpecially in the Seafona 
 of Earing and Harveft •, yet this was afterwards in a 
 great Meafure reftrained, and condemned by many of 
 the Fathers (g), and alio by feveral of the antient 
 Councils. 
 
 Thirdly^ All public Shews and SpeBacles Were on this 
 Day forbidden by'the Antient Chriftian Emperours, Fa- 
 tbers and Councils ; and all Ludicrous Sports, Ga?neSj 
 and Recreations yfitrt reftrained by them. And where- 
 as, the Jews of their Times did ufe to fpend their 
 Sahhatb mftnging, and dancing, and infenfuai Pleafures, 
 fuch as drinking, banqueting; and the like, inftead of 
 fpending it in Sobriety, and Modefty, and hearing of 
 the Word ; there are many PafTages of the antient 
 Fathers in which they are feverely reproved for fo 
 
 Cc 3 doing 
 
 (c) Primitive Chriftianity, Part I, chap. vii. 
 
 (/^) Antiquities of the Chriftian Church, Vol. IX, /;^. xx. 
 chap. ii. 
 
 {e) Cave i^id. Bingham it^id. §. 2. 
 
 (/) Bingham iiU. §. '^. 
 
 [g) ^ vefpera diet Sabbat i ufQue ad Vefperam did Dominici ft' 
 'quejirati a Rurali opere & ab cmni negotio, foli culiui'divino vacemus, 
 Aug. de Tempore, Serm. 251. See tf/^ Bingham ibid, in whicht 
 there are many other Citations out of the Ancients to this Pur- 
 pofe. 
 
3 go -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 doing (h). And this I choofeto obferve at this Time, 
 not only as an Eminent Expreffion of the Zeal and 
 Piety of the ancient Chriftians -, but alfo becaufe it will 
 ihconteftably refute an abfurd and pernicious Pofition 
 of Dr Heylin^ (\n which I' believe there are very few 
 Perfons of the leaft Degree and Meafure of Piety and 
 Devotion, who will join with himj, viz. that whatever 
 thing is ft for any Day^ is of itfelf as fit for Sunday (i). 
 For certainly Public Sports^ Games^ Spe^acles, Singings 
 Dancing, and the like, may be in themfelves very law- 
 ful and innocent, tho* they may not be proper and 
 feafonable on the Lord's Day *, not only, as they would 
 coo frequently interrupt the Religious Duties of the 
 Day ; but alfo, as by the very Nature of them^- 
 they are " too apt to diffolve the Minds of Mea 
 *' into Mirth and Pleafure, and to carry them- 
 " off from all ferious Thoughts of God and Re~ 
 *' ligion, and from the Meditation of another 
 '' World," as a very pious Prelate has juftly obferved- 
 (k). And the Antient Writers of the Church 
 did not only condemn fuch Public Sports, Games, 
 Spectacles, Paftimes, ^c, upon the Lord's Day, 
 on the Account of their Excefs and Extravagancy, and 
 the indecent and fhaynefid Manner in which they were 
 too often reprefented, as Dr Heylin fuggefls Cf) •, but 
 alfo, as they were fubverfive of the ReligiousDuties of 
 the Day, and manifefhly inconfiftent with that Spiritual 
 and Divine Manner in which It ought to be celebrated \ 
 as the Reader will fully perceive if he will confult the 
 PafTages cited by Dr Heylin himfelf,. and thofe pro- 
 duced 
 
 (h) Vid, Ignat, Ep. ad Magnefianos, and Bingbam ibid, m which 
 the Reader may find many PafTages quoted by him on this Occa* 
 fion. 
 
 (/) Heylin on the Sabbat hy Part II, p. 128. 
 
 (k) Wfotfon Vol. I, p. 460. 
 
 \\) Heylin ibid, /. 87. 
 
Religious Objervation of the Lord*s Day. 391 
 
 duced by Mr Bingham (*) on this Occafion. And 
 what that Manner was, the fame very Learned 
 and Pious Writer hath truly informed us, iii the Ac- 
 count of the Behaviour of the Primitive Chrifttans upon 
 this Bay : " Thty^ faith he^ paid a ready and con'ftant 
 *' Attendance upon all the Offices and Solemnities of 
 *' public Worfhip -, and did not only reft from Bodily 
 *' Labour and Secular Bufinefs, but fpent the Day in 
 *' fuch Employments as were proper to fet forth the 
 *' Glory of the Lord, to whofe Honour the Day was 
 *' dedicated (/j." And as the Primitive Chriftians did 
 manifeft their great Regard to the Lord's Bay, 
 by the many Excellent Laws and Canons made by 
 them for the Religious Obfervation of it. So in the. 
 Second Place ^ There are many pious and ufeful In- 
 ftrudions given to the fame Purpofe by the Fathers 
 of the Church, both by way of Precept and Example ; 
 fome few of which it may not be amifs to fet before 
 the Reader. Thus Ignatius (ov whoever (7n) t\(t be the 
 Author of the Epiftle to the Magnefians^ which, by 
 Eufebius and Jerom and fome Learned Modern Critics 
 (n)y is reckoned among the Genuine Works of this 
 Apoftolical Father) having cenfured the Manner in 
 which the Jews kept their Sabbath (" which, as was be- 
 fore remembered, was frequently obferved by the 
 firft Chriftians^ together with the Lord's Bay) viz. by 
 .fpending theTime in Eating, and Drinking, and Bodily 
 
 C c A Pleafures ; 
 
 (^) Bingham ibid. ^. 3 . 
 
 (/) Bingham ibid. §. ult. 
 
 (m) MM>ct77 <Pa.CCAT:^ov% ^UJk'iKai* &(- Nee hie qukquam 
 quod non faeculo Ignatiano applicari poffit ; Quo, fine dubio, us 
 Judaic^ quietis Babbatique Mofaici Obfervatio abrogata rite crcdi 
 debuit ; fie Sc SliritUdlis Sabbatizandi ratio, Med'itatio /egis,Crcm- 
 onis grata Cogitatio diei /eptimo fatis conTentanea opera vifa funt 
 ut & Diei Dominicae (aliis omnibus, imo ipfi Sabbato praeferendae) 
 Fejliva Celebratio^ RefiirreSlioyiis ChriJIi Commemoratio nee triftis^ 
 nee ingrata. Hammond, adv. Blondely Dijfert. II, cat>. iff, 
 
 [n) Fid, Cave Hijt. Liter ar. Vol. L f. 26. 
 
392 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 PJeafures •, fliews them, how and in what Manner fiich 
 a Holy Day, which is dedicated to God's Honour 
 and Worlhip, ought to be celebrated by them. " Let 
 " every one of us {fays he) keep thtSahhath Spiritually^^ 
 ^^ delighting in the Meditation of the Law, not in the 
 *^ Eafe of the Body, admiring the Works of God, not 
 " indulging ourielves in delicious Banquets, in fofter 
 ^'^ Drinkings and Dancings, which do not improve the 
 '' Underftanding (o)." So ?L\k> J uftin Martyr ttWs us, 
 that the Manner in which the Primitive Chriftians ce- 
 lebrated the Lord's D^jy, was " inAlTembling together, 
 * ' in readingtheHoly Scriptures, in preaching and hear- 
 *'• ing of the Word, in Divine Meditation, in Praifes 
 ' ' and Thankfgivings, and in Charitable Colledions for 
 *' the Poor, according to every ones Ability (/?)." And 
 in another Place, obferving the Errour of the Jews in' 
 thinking that they had llifficiently performed the Re- 
 ligion of their Sahhatb^ by fpending the whole Day 
 in Idlenefs and Reft-, he tells them, that " they did not 
 *' underftand the End and Defign for which the Sah- 
 *' hath v/as inilituted and appointed {q).''* Clemens Jlex- 
 andrinus fhewing how a good Chriftian obferves the 
 Lords Bay according to Chrift's Gofpel, tells us it was 
 by calling out of his Mind all evil Thoughts, and 
 entertaining all fuch as are good (r). And St Origen 
 fpeaking of the Manner in which the Chriftians fhould 
 \^^^ xh&\rSahhath,- fays " it is by abftaining from all 
 *' Worldly Works and Labours, and giving themfelves 
 *' up to SpiritualExercifes; by repairing to the Church, 
 *' and attending to DivineReading and Initrudtion ; by 
 *' thinking of Heavenly Things, and being, concerned 
 '' for theirFutureHappinefs ; and letting theirThoughts 
 " dwell earneftly and intendy upon a Future Judg- 
 
 '' mxnt. 
 
 {o) Epifl. nd MagneJiaKos. 
 (p) Apolog. I. 
 
 (f) Dialog, cum Trypho. Part I. 
 (r) Clem. Ale.x, Strom, lib. dL 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. jg j 
 
 '* nient(j).''St7^rtw commends thQEgyptianMonks^'-'' m 
 *' thatthey had defigned theLor^'jD^j, wholly toPrayer 
 " and the Reading of the Scriptures (/)." St Auftin 
 fpeaking of the Lord's T>ay\ fays, " This Day is called 
 '* the Lord^sBayy that in it Refraining from all Earthly 
 ** Works and Worldly Pleafures,we fhould only give up 
 " ourfelves to the Service of the Lord. Let us therefore, 
 " fays he^ Brethren, obferve the Lord'sBay and fandlify 
 *' it, as it was of Old commanded them concerning the 
 " Sahhatb (u)'' And to fay no more, St Chryfqllom^ 
 v/ho is one of the bed and mofl valuable of all the 
 Fathers, exprelTes himfelf thus •, " God hath from the 
 " Beginning given us this Inilru6lion, to feparate one 
 " whole Day in every Week, to Divine and Spiritual 
 " Exercifes f;^J." And again, " Let us prefcribe this. 
 *' as an immoveable L,t^ to ourfelves, our Wives and 
 *' Children, to let afide one Day in the Week to hear- 
 ** ing, and to the laying up of Things heard (jy)."And 
 in the fame Homily, (as was before tal^en Notice (z) 
 of) he blames the People of his Time very feverely^ 
 for betaking themfelves immediately when Divine 
 Service was ended, to Secular Cares and Worldly 
 Pleafures *, inftead of reading the Scriptures, and Me- 
 ditating upon the Word, and comparing it with them^ 
 and making a due Application thereof to the State and 
 Condition of their Souls. Thefe were the pious 
 Thoughts and Sentiments of the antlent Fathers of the 
 Church, concerning the Religious Obfervation of the 
 Lords Day ; to which Tefti monies many m.ore might 
 be added, if it were neceifary. And in the 
 
 Third 
 
 (s) Origen in Numer. cap. xxz'iii. Homil. XXIIL 
 
 (t) Hieronym. ad Eujiochium, 
 
 {u) Aug. de Tempore. Serm. 251. 
 
 (x) Chryf. in Horn. 2. (3" 10. /// Gerief. 
 
 ly) Horn. V, in Matt. 
 
 (z) Par4 II. p. 211 . which fee. 
 
394 -^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Third and laft Place, We fliall find the fame Regard 
 and Veneration paid to this Day, by the firfl Chriftian 
 Emperours. This may appear in fome Meafure from 
 what hath been juft now obferved, concerning the 
 many wife and good Laws made by them for the more 
 devout Celebration of this holy Seafon. And to thefe 
 I will only add an Obfervation or two of our Learned 
 Dr Cave (a), which he hath taken from Eufehius^s 
 fourth Book of the Life of Conftantine, and from the 
 Codes of 'Tbeodofms and Jtiftinian. Thus fays he, '' No 
 *' fooner v;as Conftantine the Great come over to the 
 '' Church, but his Principal Care was about the Lords 
 *' Day, he commanded it to be oh^tvvtdi folemnly, 
 *' and that by all Perfons whatfoever. He made it to 
 ^ all a Day of Reft, that Men might have nothing to 
 '' do but to Worfhip God, and be better inftruded in 
 '' the Chriftian Faith, and to fpend their whole Time 
 " without any thing to hinder them, in Prayer and 
 '' Devotion according to the Cuftom and Difcipline 
 " of the Church. And becaufe, there were many in 
 *' his Army who yet remained in Heathenifm, he com- 
 *' manded them upon the Lords Bay, to go out into 
 *' the Fields, and pray to God. And that they might 
 *' not pretend they were unable to perform that Duty, 
 *' he himfelf compofed and gave them a fhort Form 
 *' of Prayer, which he commanded them toufe every 
 *' Lord'^s Bay : So careful was he, that this Day fhould 
 *' not be dijhonoured or viif-employed by thofe, who were 
 *' yet Strangers and Enemies to Chriftianity. He 
 " likewifc ordained that there lliould be no Courts of 
 *' Judicature open on this Day (as they had ufed f 
 *' be) nor any Suits and Tryals at Law ; tho' for 
 *' Works of Mercy and Neceflity he made allow- 
 " ance ^ as feveral of the Antient Writers likewife 
 *' did. His Pious Example was herein followed by 
 *' ^heodofius the Great, who exprefsly by Law prohi- 
 " bited all public Shews upon the Lords Bay -, that 
 
 " the 
 
 -~ 
 
 (tf) Cave^ Primitive Chriftianity, Part I. chap. vii« 
 
Religious Ohfervation of the Lard's Day. 395 
 
 *^ the Worlliip of God might not be confounded with 
 *' thofe Profane Solemnities. Which Law was a Few 
 ** Years after confirmed and enlarged by Theodofms the 
 *' Tounger ; who enaded, that on the Lords Day (and 
 *' on fome other Feftivals there mentioned) not only 
 *^ Chnflians^ but even Jezvs and Heathem fhould be 
 *' reftrained from the Pleafure of ail Si^ots ^.ndSpen^:-- 
 *' cles^ and that the Theatres fhould be Hiut up in 
 *' every Place, And whereas, it might fo haopen 
 *' that the Birth-day or Inauguration-day of the Empe- 
 '* rour might fall upon that Day ; therefore to let the 
 *' People know how hifimtely he prefen'ed the Honour 
 *' of God, before the Concerns of his own Majeily 
 " and Greatnefs \ he commanded that if it fhould fo 
 ** liappen, that then the Imperial Solemnity fiiould 
 *' be put off and deferred till another Day ; So great 
 ^"^ a Regard liad this and the other Chriftuvi Empc- 
 *' roors to the Honour and Worlhip of God, and the 
 *' Religious Obfervation of this holy Seafon/' And 
 thus much concerning the Senfe and Judgm.ent of the 
 Primitive Chrljiiam in the iirft and pureit Ages, with 
 Relation to the IS/lanner of obferving and celebrating 
 the LordHi Day. There is nothing more remaining, 
 but to lay before the Reader, the Thoughts and Senti- 
 ments of the Divines of our ov^^n Church u»x)n the 
 fame Point. Nov/ that which I think might be iuftl- 
 cient m this Cafe, is one ot the Canons of our Church, 
 (No. 1 3.) which requires not only an "Attendance upoi2 
 *' the Church on :x\\ Sundays, and other Holy D.ivs, 
 *' and receiving the Sacrament when adminiftred -/* bur 
 alfo " the Private Excercife of Devotion, the acknow- 
 ^^ ledgingof ourSinstoGod, and amendment of the 
 *' fame ; the reconciling our felves charitably to thofe 
 ^^ whom we have offended ^ the vifiting the Sick afid 
 *' Poor, and n^mgzW fiber a?id godly Converfation" All 
 which Inftances of Duty, whether they can poffibly be 
 confiftent with the common Cuftom of fpending the 
 Lord's Day \n Company, and Drinking, and Worldly 
 
 Plea.lire* 
 
3 9 6 ^ Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 Pleafure, I leave it to any Man to judge. And that 
 which ought in all Reafon to render this Canon of 
 greater Force and Obligation with us, is this Confi- 
 deration ♦, viz, that it is not the Sentiments of a few 
 Divines only of a particular Se^ or Party^ but the 
 Judgment of the whole Reprefentative Body of the 
 Clergy afTembled in Convocation, approved and con- 
 firmed by the Royal Authority. But I will not leave 
 the Teftimony of our Church, wholly upon this Ca- 
 mn \ but fhall proceed farther to obferve, that the beft 
 and mod Learned Writers of our Church, have ever 
 rnanifetled the fame Senfe and Judgment in this Mat- 
 ter. And here I could eafily fliew if it were necelTary^ 
 that many of thofe Learned Perfons, who have been 
 thought to detrad: too much from the Divine Au- 
 thority and Inftitution of the Lord^s Day ; have yet 
 declared it to be very meet and proper that Chriftians 
 fhould on this Bay^ abandon their Worldly Affairs, 
 and dedicate it wholly to the Honour of God : and 
 that they who obferve the Lord's Bay in that Manner 
 are highly to be efleemed and commended ; and that 
 lince the Church has commanded it to be kept holy, 
 in Imitation of the Apoftles, it ought therefore to 
 be fpent in pious Offices and in Godly Converfation : 
 Which is the Judgment of the Learned Brerewoody 
 Archbilhop Brambally Bifhop Baylor and others. But 
 I will not trouble the Reader with any PafTages out of 
 them at prefent. If he hath a Mind to know their 
 Opinion and Judgment upon this Point, ht him con- 
 fult the Places cited in the Margin {b), I fhall only 
 produce the Teftimonies of fuch Learned Writers of 
 our Church, who acknowledge the Divine Authori- 
 ty and Inftitution of the Lord's Bay -, and contend for 
 the Religious Obfervation of it, in the Manner I have 
 
 laid 
 
 (I?) Vid. Brerezvood Tra£l. I. Bramhali^ Works, p. 917, 934. 
 T^jlers Dua. Dubitant. Book IL chap, ii, /. 276, &C. 
 
Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day. 397 
 kid down. And diere are fo many Teftimonies tp be 
 found in them to this Pnrpofe, that it would be an 
 endlefs Thing to recite' them all. I fhall therefore 
 mention only fome of the chief and principal of them, 
 and fuch as are taken from thofe Writers which are 
 moft commonly known and efleemed among us. I 
 will begin with Dr Hammond^ a Perfon of the greateft 
 Piety, as well as Learning. And this excellent Wri- 
 ter, after he had fhewn the Fitnefs of fetting apart /^^ 
 Time for the due Celebration of Divine Offices, and 
 had manifefted the Obligation of the Lord's Day, pro- 
 ceeds to enquire how this Day ought to be obferved ? 
 And his Anfwer is, " to the Pradice and Advance- 
 '' ment of Piety, not only in public Worfhip, but 
 " alfo in private Reading, Prayers, Thankfgiving, and 
 Meditation (c), ^c}* The next Author that I ihall 
 mention upon this Occafion, is the Pious and Learned 
 Dr H. More. After he had been Ihewing the great 
 Benefit and Advantage of Retirement from the Bufinefs 
 of the World, and the Opportunity of fearching more 
 clofely into the State and Condition of Mens Souls^ 
 he proceeds thus ; "And for this Purpofe the Obferva- 
 *' tion of every Seventh Day fhould be inviolable, not to 
 < ' be profaned by eitherSecularEmploy ments orFoolifh 
 " Paftimes -, but fpent inReligiousExercifes eitherPub- 
 ** lie or Private : Not as placing any Sandity in Days, 
 " but in laying hold of fo good an Opportunity for the 
 " compleating the Work of Godlinefs in us, andMedi- 
 *' tating upon the Infinite Goodnefs of God in the Crea-^ 
 " tiomndi Redemption of Mankind (J)." The next Tef- 
 timony that I fhall produce is that of the very Learned 
 and Pious Dr Barrow •, who not only obferves that it 
 is fit that certain Times Ihould be allotted for the pub- 
 lic 
 
 (c) Hammond's Praftical Catechifm, Book II. §. 12, p. 196. 
 See alfo, a Paflage to the fame Purpofe in his DiiTertaticns againft 
 ^//?;/^^/ before cited, p. 391. 
 ■ (d) Grand Myflery of Godlinefs, Book x. chap. xiv. (5. 15. 
 
393 A Difcourfe concerning the 
 
 lie and folemn Performance of Religious Duties, biit 
 alio tells us in what Manner we fliould keep the Bab- 
 lath Day^ viz, " In frequently calling to Mind and 
 *' confidering the great and glorious Works of God in 
 ''the Creation of the World and the Redemption of 
 **■ Mankind. In reftraining ourfelves in the Prolecution 
 ■*^ of Worldly Bolinefs, allov/ing ourielves fufficient 
 *' Time for the Exercife of the Mind, Csfr. In ufing 
 *' the ianie Indulgence towards our Children and Ser- 
 *' vants, thiit their Lives may be eafy and comfortable 
 ^' here, and that they may alfo have the Means of ob- 
 * ' taining forthemfel ves a Happy Immortality hereafter, 
 *• Nay, and even in being tender towards the dumb 
 ^' Beafcs ; for this Reafon among others, viz. becaule 
 " God made them (e)^ ^r." The next Teftimony that I 
 fhall urge is that of the very pious and judicious D;- 
 Scott ^ in his incomparable Treatife of the Cbrijlian Life ; 
 who, after he had fhewn the NeceiTary Duty and Inef« 
 tiniable Advantages of attending upon the public 
 
 Worfhip on the L^d^s Day^ adds thefe Words ^ 
 
 *"' Efpeciall}', if when the public Offices are over, we 
 *' v/ould not let loofe ourfelves all the reft of the Day, 
 '^ (as we too frequently doj to our Secular Cares andDi- 
 " verfions, and thereby r/??^<^/^ thofe good I nftrudlions 
 " v/e have heard, and flifie thofe devout and pious Af- 
 '' fedlions, which have been raifed and excited in us ; 
 *' but inftead of fo doing we would devote at leaft fbme 
 '' good Portion of it to the Inftrncfion of our Fami- 
 '' lies, and to the /'/mz/^ Exercife of our Religion, 
 '' to Meditation and Pr^j^r, to the Exammation of 
 '^^ ourfelves concerning our pafl Behaviour, and the 
 •^' re-inforcing our Refoiution to" behave ourfelves 
 " better for the future ; If, I fay we would thus 
 .** fpend our Lord^s Bay^ we fhould doubtlels find our 
 '''' f^lves better Men for it all the JVeek after ; we ihould 
 
 " go 
 
 ^^^J Dr .iP^;-;Ws Worb, Vol. I. p, 527, ($*:, 
 
Religious Obfervafion of the Lord^s Day. 399 
 
 " go into theWorld again with much better K^t^ionsy 
 '' and/r<?;^^^rRerolutions,with our Graces more vigorousy 
 ^' and our bad Inclinations more reduced and tamed ; and 
 *' whereas thtjews were to gatherM?;^;^^ enough on the 
 " Sixth Bay^ to feed their Bodies on the tn^uingSahhath^ 
 *' we fhould gather Mzw?^ enough upon our Sabbath^ to 
 '' feed and ilrengthen our Souls all the Six Days after(/)." 
 The next Author whom I fhall cite on this Occafion, 
 is the great and renowned Archbifhop '7'illotfon, whofe 
 Exemplary Piety and Learning are well known. His 
 Words are thefe -, " The Magiftrates of the Land are 
 *' much to be blamed, for not putting the good and 
 *' wholefome Laws made againft Vice in Execution ; 
 '' as againft the Piofanation of the Lord's Day^ by fe- 
 " cularBufinefs, by vain Sports and Faftimes, which by 
 *' the very Nature of them are apt to difTolve the 
 " Minds of Men into Mirth and Pleafure, and to carry 
 *' them off from all ferious Thoughts of God and 
 * ' Religion, and from the Meditation of another World ; 
 *' and to give the Devil an Opportunity (which he 
 ** never fails to take) to fteal the good Seed, the Word 
 *' of God which they have heard that Day, out of their 
 " Hearts, and to make it of none Effed: -, and which 
 *' is yet worfe, by lewd and fmful Pradtices, which 
 *' are unlawful at any Time, but upon this Day are 
 *' a double Breach and Violation of God's Law (^).'' 
 In which Words you fee how juftly fevere this eminently 
 pious and good Man is againft the Sin of profaning 
 the Lord's Day, What Opinion he likewife had of 
 the ftri6l Neceffity of a Religious Obfervation of 
 fthis Holy Day, is evident from another PafTage of his 
 Writings in thefeWords following." Seeking the King-. 
 " dom of God and the Righteoufnefs thereof, implies 
 " incejGTant Care and Diligence, that we make Religion 
 
 " our 
 
 g 
 
 if) Chriftian Life, Vol. I. p. 293^ 294, 
 ' ) Ti//ot/on, Vol I, p. 460, 
 
400 A Difcotirfe concerning the 
 
 '' our Bufmefc at all Times, but efpecially on the Lor^^ 
 -^ ' Bay \ which God hath taken to Hii-nfelf, and fet apart 
 *-'- for the Duties of His Worlhip and Service. Not 
 *' that we are excufed from minding Religion at other 
 *' Times, but that thofe who are preft and Rraitned 
 ^' by the neceffary Cares of this Life, may be fure to 
 •** mind it then ♦, and may have no Colour of Excufe 
 *' for the Negled of it at that Time, v/hichGod hath 
 -*' allotted for that very Purpofe, and which it is un- 
 *' lawful to employ about our Worldly Affairs. God 
 *' expe£ls that we fhould ferve Him at other Tioies, 
 ^' that we fhould live in an habitual Senfe of Him, 
 f and as Solomon expreileth it, (Prai;. xxiii. 17^. he in 
 *' the fear of the Lord all the Bay long \ fo as to be 
 ^' careful not to offend or tranfgrefsin any Thing, and 
 *' fo as to redeem all Opportunities for the Exercife of 
 ■*' Piety and Devotion. But xk\\sX^2,-^Y\.^-peremptorUy chal- 
 -*' /^;7^<?j /^ Himfelf ; and expedls that we fhould employ 
 *' it in His Service, and dedicate it to Religion, to the 
 -" Contemplation of God and Heavenly Tilings, and 
 *' the Care of our Immortal Souls, with the fame Se- 
 *' rioufnefs and Diligence, as we do upon other Days 
 *' Labour for the Bread that perifheth ; and the lefs 
 " Leifure we have upon other Days for this Purpofe, 
 *' the more entirely fhould we confecrate this Day to 
 "-^ the Purpofes and Duties of Religion f^)." The 
 next Author whofe Tellimony I fhall cite, is that very 
 jExcellent and Judicious Prelate, Archbifhop Sharps 
 whofe Words are thefe : " The Defign of fetting a- 
 ^^ part the Lord's Bay^ is, that all Men fhould join in 
 *' the folemn Worfhip of God, that they fhould be in- 
 ^' fl:ru6tedintheDo6lrine of theGofpel, that they fhould 
 ^' be taught from God's Word, what they are to be- 
 ^' lieve, and what they are to pradice in order to their 
 *^^ Salvation. That they fhould have the Motives and 
 
 . " Arguments 
 
 l^ Tillotfon, Vol. II. p. 277. Seee^jh Vol. I. p. 598-. 
 
"Religious Obfervafion of theluO^dH^ Day. 401 
 
 ** Arguments which the Golpel offers for their living 
 
 "^ a Holy Cbrifiian Life, fairly propofed to them, that 
 
 ' '^ they ihould have an Opportunity of ferioufly thinks 
 
 * ing upon thefe Things, and examining tht State 
 
 * of their own Souls, and making new Refolutions of 
 
 * living according to their Chriftian Profeiiion, and 
 
 * humbly imploring the Grace of God, that they 
 ■* may pradice what they refolve (i)?* And a YhiIq 
 lower, obferving the great Sin and Danger of fuch 
 Perfons who notorioufly violate and pro£ine tlie Lord^s 
 payy he expreffes himfelf thus ; ' Thofe Perfons 
 
 * that make no Confcience of obferving the Lord's 
 
 * Day^ as they r^r^/y ever attain to a true Senie of 
 ' Virtue and Piety, fo moil commonly they are given 
 
 * over to a Reprobate Mind, and dogrowworfe and 
 ^ worfe (k).'* The next Teftimony which I fhall 
 ^bring upon this Occafion,is that of our moflLearned and 
 Judicious Primate Wake, who in his Excellent Ex- 
 pofition of our Church Catechifm, to the Qiieflion, 
 How are we to keep our Sahhath Day ? Returns 
 
 -this Anfwer, ' We are to confecrate it to a Relig'tGus 
 
 * Reft^ by attending upon the Public Service and 
 
 * Prayers of the Church •, and hearing God's Word 
 ' read and preached there. By participating, as we 
 ' have the Opportunity, of the Holy Sacrament : By 
 
 * Private Prayer^ Meditation, and Reading : By Works 
 
 * of Charity and Mercy ; By taking all tlie Care wc 
 
 * can to improve our own Piety, and to help other 
 
 * Men in the enlivening of theirs (/)." The next- 
 Teflimony I fhall produce is that of that Learned and 
 Excellent Preacher Bifhop Atterhury. " No Man- 
 *^ {faith Joe) ought to be fo deeply immerfed in the- 
 ^ Affairs of this World, as not to be able to 
 
 ^ retire from them m%v and then into his Clofet, there ' 
 
 D d 'to 
 
 (z) 5/&^r/s Sermonf, Vol, IV^ P- 317. (k) IM f, 322, 
 
 (J)Wahy^, 104. 
 
402 'A Difeourfe concerning' the ^ .V:;. 
 
 * to mind the Concerns of another. B^very Day of 
 ^*' his Life early or late fome Moments he may and 
 
 * muft find to beflow this Way. Tht Lord* s Day 
 ^particularly is a Great Opportunity of .this Kind, 
 
 * which can never be wholly neglected withou^- 
 
 * Indevotion or even without Scandal (jn)* And how 
 abfolutely neceflary Divine Meditation is to a Religi^ 
 ous Life, in the Judgment of this Author, hath been 
 already fhewn in an Excellent Pafllige of his before 
 remembred {n). And that he thought the Religious 
 Obfervation of the Lord*s Bay, does not only require 
 of every one perfonally to read the Scriptures, to me- 
 <iitate on Divine Thirgs and the like, but alfo to have 
 II due Regard to the great Duty of Family Inflruc- 
 tion, is evident from a Remarkable Paflage in his 
 Chara6ler of the Lady Cutis ^ with Relation to the 
 devout and religious Obfervation of the Lord^s Day % 
 -an Example highly worthy of being followed by all 
 the Nobility and Gentry in Great- Britain. His Words 
 are thefe, ' And in this Book of God ('the Bible) 
 
 * fhe was more particularly converfant on God's Day ; 
 ^ a Day ever held facred by her, and which there- 
 
 * fore always in her Family wore a Face of Devo- 
 
 * tion, fuitable to the Dignity of it. It was truly a 
 
 * Day of Reft to all under her Roof : her Servants 
 
 * were then difmifled from a good Part of their At- 
 
 * tendance upon her, that they might be at Liberty 
 ^ to attend on their great Lord and Mafter, whom 
 
 * both fhe and they were equally bound to obey. 
 
 * There was fuch a Silence and Solemnity at that Time 
 
 * obferved by all about her, as might have become 
 ^ the Houfe of Mourning ; and yet fo much Eafe 
 
 * and Serenity vifible in their Looks, (at leafl in her 
 
 * Looks there was) that they who were in the Houfe of 
 ^'^y-? - . " Feafling 
 
 {m) After bur f&h'trmons. Vol. I. p. 351, 352, 
 \h) See atovey Part II, chap. iii. p. 276, -. 
 
^eligloils Xybfervafion 3/" /fe Lord's Day. 463 
 
 ^.*'Teafting were n6t better Hulsiicd. Thus did fhe 
 ^'■prepare and difpofe herfelf for the Enjoyment of 
 v*^^that Perfed Reft, the Celebration of that Endlels 
 '^ -Sahhath fhe is now entered upon {0).'* The next Au- 
 thor, whofe Teftiniony I fhall produce is the Learned 
 Dr Fid^es, who having fhewn the Neceffary and In- 
 dilpenfable Duty of attending upon the -Puliic Wor- 
 fhip ; with regard to the Private ReHgious Exercilcs 
 of the 'Day, expreflfes himfelf to this purpofe -, " Wc 
 
 * ought alfo (faith 'he) on the 'Lord's Day, to employ 
 
 * ourfelves conllantly in ^the Private Exercifes of Re- 
 
 * ligion ; in Converfmg with God by Prayer and. 
 ^ Meditation^ in reading good Books, and examining 
 *"-into the State of our Souls, and forming good R.er 
 *-'folutions for our future Condud. And, 
 
 '• ■ ' Secondly, As the Lord's Bay is a Day of Thankf-. 
 '-* giving for the 'Public or Private Mercies we have 
 '^' received from God -, it is a proper Exerciie of it, to 
 ^"^'perform Ads of Mercy and Charity toothers, and 
 
 ^"^both with refpe6l to their Souls and Bodies : To their 
 
 * Souls, by teaching them the Fear of the Lord, by ir~ 
 *- ftruding, by advifing, and admonifning them ; ef- 
 "* "pecially fuch of them, as are under cur more Imme- 
 ^ diate Charge and Dire61:ion. Tho' this indeed is net 
 
 * to be confidered barely as an Ad of Charity, but 
 
 * a-s Matter of ftrid and indifpsnfable Duty, 'which 
 
 * Parents and Mailers of Families can by no meax-^S' 
 ^ excufe 'themfelves in the Breach or OmiffionF 
 *of. But I would on this Public Day of Joy and 
 
 — Thankfgiving to God for His Manifold Mercies, re- 
 '■^-^commend to you alfo Ads of Mercy and Benevolence' 
 
 * to the Poor, ^c, 
 
 ' • *' thirdly. As the Lord's Day is a D.iy devoted to- 
 
 ^<hz Service of God and Religion, let us take Care to 
 
 o- P d 2 '•• vfandhy 
 
 ■t^) Atterl?ury\ Serition at the Funeral ofthe'Lady C«//J»m Vpl .L 
 ,p 214., 21^. 
 
404 ^ Difcourfe concerning tlmif\^ 
 
 ' fanclify it by a Godly and Religious Converfatiom 
 ' The Rule of the Apoftle. Eph. iv. 29. Let no corrupt 
 
 * Co7nmuni cation come out of your Mouthy hutfuch as may 
 ' tend to the life of edifying, ought to be more carefully 
 
 * obferved on a Solemnity (p); one great End in the In- 
 
 * ftitution whereof, was to free us n*om the Corruption 
 
 * ivhich is in the World through Lufl, and to promote 
 
 * univerfal Piety and Happinefs. I do not hereby in- 
 *• tend, that it is not incumbent on us at all Times, and 
 
 * in all ourDlfcourfes, to keep with great Stridnefs and 
 
 * Nicety to ihe Rules of our Holy Religion, fo as 
 
 * never to offend by any idle Word or Levity of Expref- 
 
 * fion againft them : But my meaning is, that it we 
 
 * would fand:ify thisHolyDay as we ought,and agree- 
 
 * ably to the End of it's Inftitution \ we ihould not only 
 
 * avoid all Occafion of Offence, by a loofe or profane 
 ^ Converfation, but endeavour to promote the Sandifi- 
 
 * cation of others, by making one proper and ufeful 
 
 * Truth of Religion, or other, the Subjedt of our Dif- 
 courfes, ^r. (^).' The nextTeftimony I Ihall produce i^ 
 that of the mofl Learned and Excellent Dean Fri- 
 deau^i whofe Words are thefe -, ' Becaufe fuch Times 
 ' as are devoted to the Service and Worfhip of God, 
 
 * ought not to be profaned by being employed to any 
 
 * other Work \ but all ought then to exercife them- 
 
 * felves in the Duties of Religion both puUickly and 
 '^privately ; the Church -Wardens are to fee that all 
 
 * fach Times be duly obferved, efpecially the Lord's 
 
 * Day^ which hath by God Himfelf been confecrated 
 
 * to His Worlhip from the Beginning of the Worlds 
 
 " And 
 
 {p) Verum non publice modo, fed dr* privatim hunc ipfum [diem 
 domiyiicuni) Jancih pictatis exercitiisy Sec. T^ranfigendum cenfemus^fe- 
 £imdum illud dementis, Neque Diebus Dominicis, qui funt hilari- 
 tatis, praeter fanditatem aliquid dicere aut facere cojicedimus. 
 Synop. pur tor. Theolog. Difp. XXI. §.58. 
 
 (<l) Dr Fiddes'% Sermons, Svo, Vol. II. p. 116, 11 7,. 5^^ the 
 Place. 
 
Religious Obfervatioit of the Lord's Day. 405 
 
 ^ And becaufc many inflead of employing the Lord's 
 %^>Day^ in the Duties for which it was fet apart, are 
 1; apt to fpend it in Idlenefs and Loofenefs, at Ale- 
 
 * houfes and 'taverns, and other public Places of De- 
 ' bauchery ; for the preventing hereof, the Church- 
 f Wardens ought frequently on the faid Lord's Bays 
 ^ to vifit fuch Houfes both in time of Divine Service 
 ' and alfo out of it, and if they find any tippling in 
 
 * the faid Houfes, they are to make them pay (rj, &c* 
 And then the Dodlor proceeds to fhew the Legal For- 
 feitures and Penalties for fuch Tranfgrefnons. The 
 next Author whom 1 fhall quote at prefent is that very 
 pious and excellent Perfon Mr Nelfon^ whofe ufeful 
 Book upon the Feafts and Fafts of oUr Church is de- 
 servedly efteemed by every one. And to the Quef- 
 tion. How Chriilians ought to obferve the Lord's Day ? 
 This truly devout and pious Man returns Anfwer in 
 thefe Words. ' It is not enough that we reft rrom 
 ' the Works of our Callings, but our Time muft 
 
 ^^ be employed in all fuch Religious Exercifes, as 
 
 * tend to the Glory of God and the Salvation of our 
 ' Souls. We muft regularly frequent the Worfhip 
 ' of God in the Public AfTemblies, join in the Prayers 
 ' of the Church, hear His holy Word, receive the 
 ^ BlelTed Sacrament when adminiftred, and contribute to 
 
 * the Relief of the Poor, if there be any Colledlion for 
 
 * their Support. In private we ought to enlarge our 
 
 * Ordinary Devotions, and to make the Subjed of 
 
 * them chiefly to confift in Thankfgivings for the 
 
 * Works of Creation and Redemption, withal con- 
 ^^* fidering all thofe particular Mercies we have re- 
 
 * ceived from the Bounty of Heaven through the 
 *-■ whole Courfe of our Lives •, To improve our 
 
 ^^* Knowledge by reading, and meditating on Di- 
 ''^ vine Subjeds \ to inftrud our Children and Fami- 
 "" D d ^ Mies i 
 
 {^} VfiSfUKxh 'Directions to Church- Wardens, ^.12,1 5, 
 
4-06 A Difiourfe concerning fh >>^<^\ips% 
 
 lies -, to vifit the Sidk and the Poor, comfoftln^f 
 t'hem by feme feafonable AfTiftance. And if we" 
 converfe with our Friends or Neighbours, to feafon 
 our Difcoiirie with prudent and profitable Hints for' 
 the Advancement of Piety, and to take Care that 
 no Sournefs and Morofenefs mingle with our ferious 
 Frame of ]Vlind(.0.' The nextTeftimony which I fhall 
 produce, is that of the very Learned Dr Smnnel Clarke^ 
 wlio fpeaking of the Lord's Bay expreffes himfelf 
 thus V " The Manner in which this Day ought to be 
 obferved among Chnftians'^ is, in attending the- 
 Public Wcrfhip of God, in hearing the Word, in 
 reading the Scriptures, in inftru6i:ing and afTifling 
 thole over whom we have any Influence, in the 
 Knowledge and Pra6tice of their Duty. In a 
 ^¥o?d•, It is to be fpent in "Works of Neceflity 
 arid in Works of Charity -, and in whatfo- 
 ev^er tends without Superitition and without 
 Affe6l:ation to the Real Honour of God, and to the 
 true Intereit and promoting of Religion and Virtue 
 
 in the World. -— The Extremes to be avoided 
 
 are on the one Hand (and which in the prefent Age 
 is by much the moil nfiiai and dangerous Extreme) 
 That Habit of fpending great Part of the Lord's 
 Day in Gaming, and in other loofe and debauched 
 p raft ices*, v/nich has been encouraged by Popery, 
 and which has to numberlefs Perfons been the Cor- 
 ruption of their Principles, and the entire Ruin of 
 th^ir Morals. On the other Hand, an affefted Ju- 
 datcal or Pharifaical Precifenefs, which ufually pro- 
 ceeds from Hypocrify, or from a want of under- 
 (landing rightly the true Nature of Religion (/).' 
 The next TeiHxony that I fhall cite, is that of the pre- 
 fent moilLeai-ned and Pious Bilhop of Lc^;;^^;;, who in 
 
 his 
 
 (s) Ne/fori on the FeRivals, &c. p. zo, 21. • 
 
 (t) Dr Chrh\ Exp. of the- Catechifm, 8vo, p. 178, 179. 
 
Religious Qbfervation of the Lord's Day. ^ 
 his Pafloral Letter to t\\^ People of his Diocefe, hath 
 gi.yen them a moft Ufeful and Excellent Diredion m 
 this Matter. ^ The Lord's Day (faith he) is to be ef- 
 '' tttm^^facred^ ^S , being fandlified and let apart, for 
 Vceafing from our Worldly Care and Labour, and 
 \ meditadng upon God, and paying that Honour and 
 
 * ; Adoration, which He requires of us,- and which be- 
 
 * longs to Him, as the Creator, Prefer ver and Re- 
 'deemer of Mankind. The Devout and Serious 
 
 * .Obferyation of //^fi Day, is one of the aioft Lffe.c- 
 y :tual Means to keep alive Religion in, the World, 
 
 * .both in the outward Face of it, and in the Hearts 
 
 * and Lives of Chrijlians, And nothing is more cer- 
 
 * tain, than that it would be quickly loft and txmi- 
 ' guifhed among the Generality of Mankind, if it 
 ' .were not kept alive by the Appointment of this 
 
 * pay, for reviving upon their Minds a Senfeof God 
 V and their Duty.,, Wherefore, let this be a Day not 
 
 * only of Reft from Labour, but alfo of Medita- 
 
 * ting upon God and Heavenly Things % partly in a: 
 
 * 'Devout Attendance upon the Public Offices, of Reli- -• 
 
 * gion, and pardy by allowing a Reafonable Portion 
 ' of the Day to the private Duties 9f reading the 
 \ Holy Scriptures and other good Books, an'd in- 
 
 * ftrudting your Children and Servants, and examin- 
 ' ing your own Lives; and praying to God for a 
 ' Supply of your own private Necf-flities, Spiriaial 
 [ and Temporal. I fay, a Reafomhle Portion of the 
 \ Day, according to the Cojtdition of particular Per- 
 ' fons and Families. For thty who on ail other Days 
 ' are confined to hard Labour^ or are otherwife ob- 
 
 * liged to a clofe Attendance on their Worldly Affairs, 
 ' muft be allowed in fome Meafure to confider this^ as 
 ' a Day of Eafe and Relaxation from Thought and 
 
 Labour, as well as a Day of Devotion y provided 
 It be in a Way that is Innocent and Inoflenfive, and 
 that the Public Offices of Religion be ,duly attended, 
 and the Duties of a more Private J^a^urc be not neg! 
 
4-0 8 A Dijcourfe concerning the 
 
 * le£ted. But there are many others, whofe Quality 
 ': and Condition have freed them from the Neceflity 
 
 "'* of a conftant Attendance upon Worldly Bufi- 
 
 ''' nefs, and to whom all other Days are equally Days 
 ' of Eafe and Diverfion ; and from them it may well 
 '' be expe6led5 that they abftain from their Diverfions 
 *• on thh Day, and employ it more ftri<5lly in the Du- 
 '. ties of Religion ♦, for which indeed they have greater 
 
 '* Need than others, to arm themfelves againft the 
 '*■ liianifold Temptations, to which they are daily ex- 
 
 '*' pofsd by Eafe and Plenty. And when they haVe 
 ' better Opportunity and greater Need, than the reft 
 
 * of Mankind, to give a ftridl Attendance upon the Du- 
 
 * ties of Religion on this Day ; if they do it not, it 
 
 * is much to be feared that they have a greater Relifh: 
 ' for the Delights and Bufinefs of this World than for 
 ^ Exercifes of a Spiritual Nature {u),^ The next 
 Teftimony I lliall mention is that of that Excellent" 
 Preacher Dr Littleton y who among other Inftances of 
 
 , the Reverence which we ought to fhew for Things 
 
 ' Sored •, obferves ' That we fhould particularly pray 
 
 ."*' to God that He would enable us by His Grace to 
 
 *" preferve an awfd Regard to His Sabbath *, however 
 
 * it is now proftituted and profaned by the Manage- 
 *" ment of our fecular Concerns, or by the no more' 
 ^ imiocent^ fho' lefs cenjured Cuftom of employing it 
 
 '' * in idle and' impertinent Vlfits v and thereby fpending 
 *"' it in vain and unprofitable, if not wicked and un- 
 
 * charitable Difcourfe [x)^ The laft Perfon, whofe 
 ^' Teftimony I ftiall produce upon this Occafion, (and 
 ]*/who indeed on Account of the Order of Time in 
 ^'^'' which- 
 
 *' 
 
 \ |/;) Fii-Il PaftoralLetter, p. 4^, 46. 
 
 ''^•(:^) Sermons, Vol.11, p. 190. And what a mighty EfFeil the' 
 
 Keligious Obreivation of the Sabbath would (in the Judgment of 
 TIiTs Author") have upon the Moral Behaviour of Mankind, hatb 
 
 l^een before obferved in an Excellent PalTage cited out of him* 
 
Religious Ohfervatto?i of the Lord's Day. 409 
 
 vHvhieh he lived, as well as the Peculiar Efteem and 
 vVeneration which is due to him, fhould have been meri- 
 tioned among the Firft •, but whom I purpofely chofe 
 to referve to the laft Place, that what he fays may be 
 • the more obferved and better remembred by the Rea- 
 der) is the moil Excellent and Pious Author of the 
 Whole Duty of Man^ that hefi of Books ^ as a very great 
 Critic (y) hath truly called it ; a Book that hath ever 
 been approved of by all good Judges, and univerfilly 
 efteemed by all pious and good Cbrifitans^ of what 
 Opinion or Perfuafion ibever. And obferve now 
 what are the Thoughts and Sentiments of this very Ex- 
 cellent Perfon, concerning the Matter which I am now 
 fpeaking of. His Words are thefe 5 ' The Lord's 
 Bay, thus fet apart, is to be employed in tlie Wor- 
 Ihip and Service of God ; and that Firft^ More 
 folemnly and publickly in the Congregation, from 
 which no Man muft then abfent himfelf without a 
 juft Caufe. And, Secondly ^ Privately at Home, in 
 praying with and inflrudling our Families, or elfef 
 in the yet more private Duties of tl-^ Clofet, a Man's 
 own Private Prayers, Reading, Meditation, and the 
 like. And that we may be at Leifure for thefe, a Relt 
 from all Worldly Bufineis is commanded ; there- 
 fore let no Man think that bare Reft from Labour is 
 all that is required of him on the Lord'^s Bay, but 
 the Time which he faves from the Works of his 
 Calling, he is to lay out in thofe Spiritual Duties. Fof 
 the Lord's Bay was never ordained to give us a Pre- 
 tence of Idlenefs, but only to change our Employ- 
 ment from Worldly to Heavenly •, much lefs was it 
 meant that by our Reft from our Callings^ we fhould 
 have more Time free to beftow upon our Sins, as 
 too many do, who are more conftant on that Day at 
 the Alehoufe than at the Church : But this Reft was 
 
 * commanded 
 
 (j) TUktfon Vol, I. p. 268. 
 
* commanded, Firjl^ To Ihadow out to us that Rfeft 
 •Jfrpm Sin, which we are bound to all the Days of: 
 
 * our Lives. And Secondly^ To take us off from ouf '^ 
 *;.WQtldly Bufinqfs, and to give us Time to attend; 
 *. the Service of God, and the Need of our Souls fz).! ;t 
 Thus hv the Author of the TVhole Duty of Man. And 
 to the Teftimonies here ailed ged out of the Learned 
 "Writers of our Church, many others might be added 
 without Number ; but I will not trouble the Reader 
 with any more of them. I fhall only beg leave to add < 
 upon this Head a very RemarJ^able Paflage out of -^ j 
 late ;/^/^ J Writer, who I am fure was not partial to' 
 Religion ; and which will be a great Reproach to the 
 Pradtice of many Thoufands among us, who will of- - 
 tentimes profefs a great Zeal and Concern for Cbrif- 
 tidnity. This Author fpeaking of Sunday^ fays thus ; 
 'It is .the. Sahhatby the moft ufefid Day in Seveny ., 
 
 * that is fet apart for Divine Service and Religioui 
 
 ' Exercifes^ as well as reding from Bodily Labour %■-.. 
 
 * and it is a Duty incumbent on all Magiftrates, to . 
 
 * take Particular Care of that Day. The Poor more 
 
 ' efpecially, and their Children Ihould be made to ga? 
 *• to Church oh it both in the Fore- and Afternoon, 
 
 * becaufe they have no Time on any other. By Pre- 
 
 * cept and Exam'ple they ought to be encouraged and 
 
 * ufed to it from their very Infancy. The wilful 
 
 * Negledt of it ought to be accounted fcandakus^ and 
 
 * if downright Co7jtpulfion to what I urge might feem 
 
 * too harjh and perhaps impraHicabk j all Diverfions 
 
 * at lead ought ftri5ily to be prohibited, and the Poor, 
 
 * hindered from every Amufement abroad, that mights. '^{ 
 
 * allure or draw them from it (a),^ 'r:. 
 
 : XCi^'i. And''- 
 
 Hriy^ 
 
 ,u , - 
 
 (z) Whole Pttfy of Man, chAp. if. ^.■\'f^ -^uoVx-L:a3. Ilom 
 f>} E% oii Charity^ Schools, publilhcd vith^tSe VMi ^Am'-yf 
 ^cct; p. 3Sa. - 
 
ReligtouiObfervationoffbe^ijx::>t^^s, Day. ^^ 
 
 •?Atid thus I have gone thro' all that Ipropofedt^o'^c'S^- ^ 
 fiHer upon this Great Suhje5i^ and hayd ' full j^; &^ii -^ 
 the perpetual Obligation of obfervingi!?;/^ I)^^ in"^ev&r3r ,. 
 Week, and keeping it Mjy •, and that in Memory ^pf^ 
 the Creation of the World, and of our Bfefled S#f,^r. 
 cur's Refurredlion from the Dead. I have alfp &t4^^^ 
 the many and great Benefits and Advanta^^ b|r;j^r 
 Religious Obfervation o^ xht Lord^sDay : And;ha7|*;*, 
 farther confidered the particular Manner, in which tK^r. 
 holy Day ought to be obferved and celebrated by ^vt, 
 Chriftians •, and that from the Nature and Reafon of thdj 
 Thing, and the plain Declarations of Holy Scripture srr 
 from the Teftimony and Pradice of the Primitiv^'^ 
 Chriftians in the pureft Ages •, from the particulate^ 
 Appointment and Conflitution of our own Govef-"^, 
 nours both in Church and State ; and from the Senfe 'I 
 and Judgment of many of xhtwtfefl zndgreateftMm',, ^ 
 which our Church hath ever had fmcelt was in Beirigl 
 All that I have now to add, is to beg of all my Rea^ , 
 ders to take what hath been difcouf fed of into their 
 mod ferious Confideration. And if there be. any 
 ^ruth in Religion ('as we are all ready to profefs and . 
 acknowledge) I earneftly entreat them to rememb'sr^- , 
 that the Profeffwn of Religion without the Pra^iceyM^ - 
 Form of Godlinefs, without the Po'wer of it, will avait .. 
 nothing. And fmce, as hath been, clearly and" ^ fully . 
 fhewn in the foregoing Difcourfe, Religion nice^rdi ,, 
 requires fome Confiderable Portion of our Time,/ hoji « 
 only for the Public Worlhip of God^but alfo - for tHp' ^ 
 Exercife of the Private Duties thereof 5/ tferefo re' a{|| ^ 
 Perfons who are well difpofed and affecfed to JRtklh. «) 
 gion, fhould gladly lay hold of all A:d^arttages"^ an<^ 
 Opportunities for thefe good Purpofes, and elpecially 
 that of the Lord's Day. And moreover, the horrible 
 and grozciing Profanenefs and Impiety of^tJbcp|-^imL 
 Age (hould engage all fuch Perfons, to ufe their iit- 
 jnoft Endeavours to put a .S/^r>toit. Anti'^^W^g) 
 will da /&> ip Effe3t{alh\ nor tend fo nrtiich t5^^|fe$i5jjC 
 
4 1 2 A Difcourfe concerning the^>X);p *, 'A . 
 
 Snd reform the Manners of Men, as fetting tlieitl a 
 good Example, and ktling their Light Jhine before them \ 
 lb there is not any Thing, which will add fo great 
 Strength and Force to their good Example, as the 
 Conftant Religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day^ 
 both in the Public and Private Duties of it : Efpe- 
 ciaJly, if their Lives and Converfations in all other 
 Refpedls, be fuitable to thofe, who make fuch an Out- 
 ward and Solemn ProfefTion of Religion and Piety, 
 And fince the Devout and Religious Obfervation of this 
 jD^j^, would certainly have a Confiderable Efred upon 
 the Morals of the Nation •, and mightily tend to the 
 reclairning of Sinners, and bringing them over to the 
 Pradtice of Virtue, if it were once encouraged and 
 countenanced by Numbers of Men, and efpecially 
 thofe of Authority and Influence •, Methinks all Per- 
 ibns fhould be the more readily induced to fuch Re- 
 ligious Obfervation, not only as it is highly inftru- 
 mental and fublervient to their own Improvement in 
 Piety and Virtue, but alfo as they will hereby be en^ 
 titled to that Exceeding and Immenfe Reward, which 
 God hath promifed to thofe who turn many to Righte- 
 ^ufnefs, viz. they fhall Jhine like the Stars fir ever and 
 ever. Dan, xiik 3. And as all Perfons among us 
 ihould be thus zealoufly concerned for the Religious 
 Obfervation of the Lord^s Day, for the Ends and Rea- 
 fons before mentioned ; fo there are two Orders of 
 Men upon whom this Obligation is more efpecially 
 Incumbent, and who are more than ordinarily bound 
 to take Care that this Holy Seafon be duly celebrated, 
 and that ic be not in any wife profaned, either by 
 "Secular Bufmefs or Worldly Pleafure. And I hope 
 -tliey will not take it amifs, that I lay hold of this 
 Opportunity, to put them in mind of this great Duty* 
 ' And thefe are tht- Clergy^ and tht Magrfirat^s of th^ 
 "^Land. As to the Clergy ; as they are the public Mi^ 
 -nifters of Chrift's Gofpel, they muft needs be fenfibley 
 -riiat they are under, the higheft and ftrideft Obliga- 
 I: ^ tions 
 
' Religioul Offer^ation (f the: Lord's Day. 4 1 j 
 tionsto promote the Caufc 0/ Piety aqd Religion in 
 the World •, and therefore fince the Devout and Piou^ 
 Obfervation of the Lord's Bay ia fo great a Means 
 ^nd Inftrui-qent of Religion, that they ought more 
 'particularly to take Care, to inilrud their People in 
 Hie Neceffity of this Duty, and to fet them a gco4 
 Example of it in their own Perfons.. For otherv/ife, 
 if any of that ^acr^d Order fhould be fo Indifcreet 
 and Imprudent, as to fpend this holy Day, in keep^- 
 ing of Company, and in Worldly Pleafure •, it will 
 be in vain for them to expe6t, that it will ever h^ duly 
 and religicufly obferved by any Confiderable Number 
 of their People. And for vyaut of/i'ij, the Public 
 Jnflrudions, of the Church will not only be erdirely 
 loft upon them, but they will debar thjsmfelves of the 
 glorious Opportunity of Reading the Scriptures, aiicj 
 Meditating upon Divine Things, and other Religious 
 Exercifes, to the Apparent Ruin and Deftruc^iion of 
 their Souls. ' And therefore fince to fan^ify the Lord's 
 Tiayy and to keep it devoutly^ is a Matter of fo great 
 importance and Confequence to Religion •, it is to bcr 
 hoped that the Clergy fand efpecially in this Degenerate^ 
 and Licentious Age) will ufe their utmofl Endeavours 
 to perfwade all Men to the Pious and Religious Qt^ 
 fervation of it. And then, ... .^ 
 
 Secondly^ As to the Magiftrates of the Land ; ^ 
 
 They are entrufted with the Execution of the Law^ 
 
 made againft Profanenels and Immorality ; it may 
 
 very reafon^ibly be expeded, that in this Cale efpecially, 
 
 they fhould be more than ordinarily, active and vigilant^ 
 
 ^ where the Honour of God and the Interefts of Rel.i-* 
 
 gion are fo deeply concerned. And indeed, if th<K 
 
 Magiitrates of the Land would Refolutely in their fcve-* 
 
 ral Diflirids, put in Execution the Lav/s againft pj-a- 
 
 i.|aning the Lord's Day^ (which is now moft iliamefujiy 
 
 . a,nd horribly violated in almoft every Towa :=gr^ 
 
 Village in the Kingdom) This would of itfelf go a 
 
 y^^Y great: way towards reftrainipg.'$$\f i^icentiouhiiefs 
 
 rp'. .- arvj 
 
|and Impiety of the Age, and ameridihg arid reform- 
 l^the M?r^/j of tlie Nation. And therefore I fear 
 |4iey will have a heavy Account to give to God at the 
 /^ Day, if they negled to do it. A very Learned 
 Writer fwho wasas good a Judge of the Obligation 
 pf Moral Duties, ^7jyy^r lived) hafh laid it dnmi for 
 ^- Jlule ^;?/i? Maxim, that they who have the Power i^ 
 pimjhlng Vice^ are wanting in their Duty, if the^ 
 pnly reprove it {h). If this be true fas it certainly i^ 
 in. general) if Men become guilty by only admonifii^ 
 ^g of the Wicked, when they have Authority ta 
 pynifh them'. How exceedingly great mufl be thq 
 {Guilt and Blame of many Perfons among us of Emi- 
 nent Authority and Station, who are fo far from pu-^' 
 ffijhing, or even cenfuring Men for their heinous Crini^ 
 i/i profaning the Lord^s Bay^ that they too often fetr 
 3^em an Example of fo doing in their own Perfons;' 
 But however Men, may behave themfelves in Public 
 %ations j fmce every Man mufl hear his own Burthen,' 
 as;-^the Apo'ftle obferves, Gj/. vi. 5. Let this engager" 
 up all to be very careflil and watchful over ourfelves, 
 tjiat we do not injure our own Souls, nor contribute ' 
 t?i. the Ruin and Deftru6tion of other Mens, by the"^ 
 Contempt and Profanation of this Holy Seafon, Anc}; 
 fi^e the Obfervation of this Day, is a Point in^ 
 wfeichthe Honour of .God, and the very Life and^ 
 Bfeing of Religion are fo nearly concerned -, therefore:' 
 ^ind' Reader I beg of you to excufe Me, if I once more ^ 
 e^^Wflly exhort you to confider this Matter ferioufly : 
 fi0Cfe if what hath been delivered in the foregoing Dif-^; 
 Covirfe, both from Scripture and Reafon, confirmed 
 by: ,the Judgment of the 'tC/7/^/and^;',?^/^y?Men, fhoukl^' 
 iitrjaft prove Right and well founded -, you will not;'; 
 onll render yourfelf highly Criminal, by your own ^^ 
 ■ ,p ,q ■ ..,,-! ;■(:■' .:}:nc:> :^<Profanatiorr'^ 
 
 (2)X?ui puniendi'jus liabcnt» iimonendp t ant urn, non defungun- 
 •i^r Oftcio. Grot, ^ni SaTn*ii..2i, -;' ,; 
 
Re ligioiisObfervatton of the Lord's Day. iftf 
 
 ^Profanation of this Daj^ but vvill alfo increafe ^nfd 
 aggravate your Guilt by giving Offence and Scandal 
 to your Chriftian Brethren ; the great Sin and Panget- 
 of which, hath been before fully reprefented. Nay, 
 if we fhould fuppofe the Cafe were doubtful ; it would 
 furely be an Argument of greater Wifdom and Pru- 
 dence, as well as Piety, to err on the fafefl Side((:); 
 And as for thofe, who are apt to be led into a Ncg- 
 led of this Buty^ in Contradidlion to their own Opinion, 
 n^ierely thro' the Cuftom and Example of thofe they 
 <;^nverfe with •, it is highly necelTary to let fuch Men 
 know, that is an Argument of a mean and bafe Spirit^ 
 for a Man thro' Cuftom and Complaifance to a6l con*' 
 trary to the fettled Perfuafion and Judgment of his? 
 own Mind -, and that it is a plain Tranfgreflion of 
 that Wife and Excellent Law which God hath giveiV 
 us, Exod, xxiii. 2. lloou Jhalt not follow a Multitude t^^ 
 do Evil. And not only in this, but in all other Inftan-^ 
 ces of finful Compliance, Men Ihould be put in Mind 
 of that dreadful Obfervation of St John before remem- 
 bered, viz, thai the Fearfidy /*. e. they who thro' fear 
 of human Puniiliment, Cenfure, or Contempt, (hall 
 tranfgrefs any Part of God's Law, are placed firft in 
 the Bifmal Catalogue of thofe who^<? down to Perdition. 
 Rev, xxi. 8. And to fay no more,, if Men were fure 
 and certain,' that they might lawfully partake of their 
 ufual Pleafures and Diverfions on ihz Lord* s Day, yef 
 fince fo piany of the moft Pious and Learned Men 
 think otherwife, and not only the Conftitudons of the 
 Eftablifted Church, but the Laws of the Land alft^- 
 (which certainly o^y^/;?/ to be the Rule of their Obedi- 
 ence, Rom. xnu i, 2. i Pet, il. 13, ^c) have de- ' 
 iermined the Contr^f y •, I think all Men ought to fhew 
 fo much Revererice 'and Regard for fuch Public Judg^ 
 mentSy as to be content at fuch Time with the Private 
 
 Enjoyment 
 
 (r) See above p. 375;"^'^ ^ »* '""^^ ^^^"^ V* 
 
4i6 A Difcourft, Sec- 
 
 Enjoyment oF their Pleafures in their own Houfes, and 
 to forbear the PuUk Exercife of them, left they lliould 
 give Offence, and their Example fhould prove of 
 pernicious Confequence to other Men. But however 
 Men may think fit to a6t in this Particular j the Time 
 is foon coming, when we fhall all be of one Mind and 
 Judgment in this Matter. And tho' he who now 
 profanes the horde's Day in any Refpedt, will I doubt 
 not, repent of it feverely when he comes to die ; yet 
 no Man will ever repent at that Time that he ob- 
 ferved this Day too religmijly ; that he went to Churcl) 
 too often °, that he fpent too much of his Time in 
 Reading the Holy Scriptures, in the Inftrudlion of his 
 Children and Family, in Meditating upon Uwine Things^ 
 and in ^re^aring himfeif for Eternal Life. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
[417] 
 
 A (Idort T ray er which may be ujed by any good 
 Chriftian on Sunday Morning, immediately 
 before he goes to Church, 
 
 OMOST Gracious and Merciful Loi-d God, I 
 befeeeh Thee pardon all my Sins, and grant 
 me Thy Grace fincerely to repent, and to 
 ferve and fear Thee in Newnefs of Life, through Jefus 
 Chrift our Lord A7nen, 
 
 And particularly at this Time I befeeeh Thee to 
 afTift me with Thy Holy Spirit, that I may behave 
 my felf acceptably in thy Sight. And now that I am 
 going to join in Thy Worlliip and to hear Thy Holy 
 Word preached to me, grant that I vn-xy keep my 
 Foot (a)^ when I enter into the Hoitfe cf God, and 
 confider in whofe Prefence I fhall appear •, and in a 
 juft Senfe of Thy great Majeily and Perfedions, grant 
 that I may approach Thee with due and iuitabk 
 Affedions, and hear Thy Word with Attention and 
 Reverence, and prefent my Body a living Sacrifice holy 
 and acceptable unto Thee, Make all Orders of Men 
 among us, duly fenfible of the Obligation of this 
 Day, and grant that it may no longer be prolaned by 
 Secular Bufinefs and Diverfions •, but that we may ajl 
 make a Gonfcience of repairing at this time to Thy 
 Holy Church, and may do our beft Endea- 
 .yours to worfhip Thee with the utmoft Purity and 
 Perfedion. Grant me the Grace of thy Holy Spirit, 
 to preferve me at this time from all wandering 
 ^ E e ^__ Thoughts 
 
 (a) The Phrafe of keeping the Foot, fignifies that Reverence of 
 Behaviour, which we fhould manifell in the Houfe of God, and 15 
 (oMkd by Salomon Eccl. v. i. in which Place he anijdes to the 
 Cuilomof the £.7;'?^r« Nations which was to put off thei^r bhoes, 
 when they approached the more immediate Prefence of God ; ot 
 which /^t? £^,'.'/. lii, 5. Jjp. v. « v 
 
[ 4i8 ] 
 
 TlK)ughts and finfiil Imaginations, "and let not "the 
 Temptations of the Devil, nor the iiifirmity of my 
 OAvn Nature abate the Warmth and Fervour of 
 my Devotions. Deliver me from all Careleflhefs, Sen- 
 iiiality and Pride, and grant that I may give an hum- 
 ble and ailigent Attendance upon Thy Holy Word. 
 And that it may have the bitter Effed upon m.e, 
 grant, I befeech Thee, that I may have a due Efleem 
 and Reverence for it, and that I may treafure it up in 
 my Heart, and bring forth the good Fruits of it in 
 my Life and Converfation. And when I have humbly 
 offered up my Devotions to Thy Divine Majefty, and 
 been comforted with the Hearing of Thy Holy Word ; 
 grant that I may retire from the World, and fpend 
 the Remainder of the Day, in thinking upon Thee 
 and meditating upon Eternity, and in forming in my- 
 fclf, that blefled and divine Temper, which alone will 
 make me well-pleafing and acceptable unto Thee.^ 
 that fo, when I have ended this Ihort and tranfitory 
 Life, I may through thy Mercy be received into Thy 
 Heavenly Kingdom, for the Sake and through the 
 Merits of thy Dear Son Jefus Chrifty our Saviour an4 
 Redeemer, Amen, 
 
 Our Father which art in Heaven^ Sec, 
 
 AJJ:)ort Prayer to be ufed on Sunday Evening 
 i?nmediately after Divine Service. 
 
 OMOST Gracious and Merciful Lord God, I be- 
 feech Thee pardon all my Sins, and grant me 
 Thy Grace, fincerely to repent, and to ferve and 
 fear Thee in Newnefs of Life, through Jefus Chrift our 
 Lord, Jmen. 
 
 Make me duly thankful to Thee for all Thy Mer- 
 cies, but above all for Thine Liellimable Love in the 
 
 Redemption 
 
[ 419 ] 
 
 Redemption of the World, by the Death and Paffioa 
 of Thy Dear Son. And particularly at this time I 
 praife Thy Name, for the glorious Opportunity Thou 
 haft this Day afforded me of hearing Thy Holy 
 Word, and joining in the public Service of Thy 
 Church. Pardon, I befeech Thee, my wandering 
 Thoughts and Imperfedt Devotions •, give a Blefling 
 to the Word this Day preached to us, and grant that 
 no Pride nor CarelelTnefs, nor Senfuality may hinder 
 the Succefs and Efficacy of it ; but that it may fink 
 deep into our Hearts and bring forth good Fruits in 
 our Lives and Converfatipns. Make all Orders of Men 
 among us duly fenfible of the Obligation of this Holy 
 Day, and grant that it may no longer b& profan€4 
 by fecularBufinefs and Diverfions ; but that we may 
 all make it a Conflant Sealbn of ferving Thee, and 
 Meditating upon the Concernments of the Life to come ; 
 that fo from ferving and fearing Thee in this World, 
 we may be tranflated to the praifing Thee Eternally 
 in Thy glorious Kingdom, through Jefm Chrifl our 
 Lord, Amen. ^ 
 
 Our Father mWh^uri m Heaven^ &c. 
 
 o 
 
(Lately Puhlijhed^) 
 
 THE Reality and Authority of our Blefled Savi^ 
 our's Miracles defended: In anfwer to all 
 the material OhjeBions which have been raifed againft 
 them both antient and modern. 
 
 By ALEXANDER JEPHSON, A. B, 
 
 Redlor of Craike in the Diocefe of Durham, / 
 
 Printed for J. and P. Knap ton, at the Crown in 
 Ludgate-Street, and T. Astley at the Roje over- 
 againft the North Door of St Paul's ; and fold alfo 
 by C. Jephson, Printer, next Door to the Fine 
 and Rum??ier tavern in fFeJi-SmithJield, 
 
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