3. Because I find in the World much Loofenefs, and Apoft acy from this Duty. People begin to be cold and careless in it, allowing themselves Sports and Recreations, and fecular imployments in it, without any neceffity, which is a fad fpectacle, and an ill prefage. It concerns me therefove (that am your Father) as much as I may, to refcue you from that fin which the Examples of others, and the inclination, and inconfiderateness of youth is otherwife apt to lead you

into.

I fhall therefore fet down unto you particularly (and not in generals only) these things, 1. What is the Reafon and Ground of your Obfervation of this Day. 2. What things ought not to be done upon this day, which poffibly may be Lawful upon another Day, 3. What things be done upon this Day. 4. What things are either fit or neceffary to be done in order to the Sanctification of this Day.

I. Touching the first of these, viz. The reason of the Obfervation and Sanctification of this Day; and the Reasons are thefe:

1. It is a moral Duty, that fince the Glorious God gives me my time, I fhould confecrate and fet apart fome portion of that time in a special manner to his Service.

2. And because the Glorious God beft knows, what portion of Time is fit to be peculiarly dedicated to his Service, that fo the Morality of that Time might be determined unto fome certainty, he hath by his exprefs Precept, given to his Ancient People the Jews, limited one day of feven to be that fpecial portion of Time which he would have peculiarly dedicated to his Service, and fo to conclude, and.... into it the Morality of that Duty.

3. This feventh portion of Time, under the old Law given to the Jews, was determined by the Precept and Command of God, in the fourth Command,

and

and likewife by his own Example confined to the feventh day from the Creation, upon which the Lord refted from his Works of Creation.

4. But our Saviour Chrift, who is the Son of God, Bleffed forever, and is Lord of the Sabbath, Matth. 12. fulfilling the work of our Redemptien by his Refurrection upon the first day of the Week, and by his Miffion of the Holy Ghoft miraculously the first day of the Week, and by the fecret Meffage of the Spirit to the Apostles and Primitive Church, hath translated the obfervation of the Seventh Day of the Week, to the Firft day of the Week which is our Chriftian Sabbath; that as our Chriftian Baptifin fucceeds the Sacrament of Circumcifion, and as our Chriftian Pafcha, the Sacrament of the Eucharist, fucceeded The Jewish Pafsover; fo our Chriftian Sabbath, the first Day of the Week, fucceeds the Sabbath of the feventh Day of the Week; and that Mortality which was by Almighty God, under that Covenant, confined to the feventh day, is by the Example of Chrift and his Apoftles, to us Gentiles, transferred to the first day of the Week; and that which would have been morally a Violation of the Morality of the fourth Command under the Jewifh Sabbath, is a Violation of the fame fourth Command, if done upon the Chriftian Sabbath; though the Strictnefs and Severity enjoined to the Jews be not altogether the fame that is now required of Chriftians And thus you have the Reafon of the Obligation upon us Chriftians to obferve the first Day of the Week, becaufe by more than a humane Inftitution, the Morality of the fourth Command is transferred to the firft Day of the Week, being our Chriftian Sabbath: and fo the fourth Commandment is not abrogated, but only the Day changed; and the Morality of that Command only translated, not annulled.

II. 2.

II. 2. Concerning the Second., It is certain that what is unlawful to be done upon another day, is much more unlawful upon this; as Excefs and Intemperance, and the like finful and unlawful actions. But further, there are many things that may be lawfully done on another day, which may not lawfully be done upon this; and many things that are not only lawful upon another day, but also fit and decent, which are yet unfit to be done upon this day. Upon other days we may and must imploy our felves in our fecular and ordinary Callings; we may use bodily Exercises and Recreations, as Bowling, Shooting, Hunting, and divers other Recreations; we may study humane Learning: But I hold thefe to be not only unfit, but unlawful to be used upon this day, and: therefore remember it. Moderate walking may thus far be used,fo far only,as it enableth you to the more chearful and lively performance of the duties of this day; and therefore I allow you to walk foberly about half an hour. after Dinner, to digeft your Meat, that you be not drowfie, nor indifpofed in the Religious duties of the day: Merry, but harmless talking, or talking about fports or worldly business, may be used another day, but not upon this. Feaftings may be fometimes feasonably used upon other days, but are not fit upon this day. Let only fuch provision be made upon this day, as may be necef fary for the Feeding of the Family, and the poor; and therefore I hold that Curiofities, baking of Meats,and fuperfluous provisions upon this day are to be avoided, as being an unneceffary breaking of the rest of this day; and unbefeeming the folemnity of it.

III. 3. What things may be done this day, is a Question of a great Latitude; becaufe Circumftances are many; that do much diverfify the actions of men, and many times render them lawful or unlawful, according to those varieties of Circumftances. Therefore I fhall fhortly fet down those things that do not of themselves directly tend to the Sanctification of this day, that yet may, and fometimes must be done upon this day. For there were many things that were ftrictly enjoyned to the Jews in $

their

their obfervation of their Sabbath, which were Ceremonial, and concerned only that Sate, and do not oblige under the Gofpel; as their dreffing of Meat upon this day was prohibited to them, but not to us; and many more things they did forbear and count unlawful, Matth. 12. which in truth were not only not forbidden, but enjoyned and commanded, for which our Lord reproves the Pharifecs, who accounted it a breach of the Sabbath to heal the Sick, or to pluck the Ears of Corn for the neceffary relief of Hunger. Therefore,

1. Works of abfolute Neceffity for Man or Beafts may be done upon the Lords day. And thofe I call works of Neceffity, which cannot be done before the day, or af ter, without apparent danger. As for inftance, ftopping of the Breach of a Sea-wall; fupporting a Houfe, that upon a fudden tempeft or cafualty is ready to fall; pulling out an Oxe or other Beaft fallen into a Ditch; preventing of a Trespass that by a fudden Accident may be occafioned to my Corn, or my Neighbour's; Setting of a broken bone; Phyfick to remove an incumbent, or imminent Disease or Pain; Milking of Cowes; Feeding of Cattel; The neceffary dreffing of Meat for the Family, and many more inftances of that kind. But yet therein, great wariness and integrity must be used; for otherwife Men, under pretence of neceffity, will take the liberty to do what they pleafe. Therefore take these Cautions Concerning Neceffity.

1. That is not a Neceffity that excufeth a work upon this day, which might have been reasonably fore-feen and done before the day: As for inftance, A man hath a neceffity to drefs Meat for his Family, which he might have provided on the Saturday, and neglects it; this ne ceffity will not juftify him in fending two or three miles to buy meat upon the Lord's day.

2. That is not a Neceffity, which may be forborn to be done without any abfolute destruction or lofs of the thing, until the Morrow. If a rick of hay be on fire, I may endeavour to quench it on the Lord's Day: But if my Corn be cut, and lying upon the ground on the Sa

turday,

turday, though the weather be rainy, or inclining to wet, I may not make it into Cocks, or fetch it home upon the Lord's Day; becaufe poffibly Almighty God may fend fair weather to morrow. And therefore in my forbearance I do two duties under one, viz. obferve his Law, and reft upon his Providence.*** Men make neceffities many times to ferve their Eafe, and Sloth, and Fancies, when in truth there is none, but the business may be deferred without any danger. If we would be more Faithful in our Obedience to God, we fhould find many pretended Neceffities to vanish into meer Imaginations.

3. Works of Charity. Relief of the Poor; Adminiftring Phyfick upon an apparent neceffity; Vifiting or comforting the afflicted; admonishing the diforderly; perfuading Peace between Neighbours offended, and Endeavouring to compofe differences which require not much examination, or cannot be deferred without an apparent danger of greater mifchief. These are not only permitted, but commendable, nay, commanded upon this Day. But if the business require examination, or may be deferred till to morrow, then it is beft to defer fuch examinations and treaties between offended parties till another day; because they will take away too much of the little precious portion of time of this day, and may be as well done to morrow.

4. As for the fourth, what is proper, fit, or neceffary to be done, in order to the Sanctification of this Day, I will fet down particularly; for Generals feldom produce any great effect, because every man is apt to conftrue them according to his own mind and liking.

I. I would not have you meddle with any Recreations, Paftimes, or ordinary work of your Calling from Satur day-night at eight of the Clock, till Monday-Morning. For though I am not apt to think that Saturday-night is part of the Chriftian Sabbath, yet it is fit then to prepare the heart for it.

2. Rife at least three hours before morning Sermon; and when you have made your felf fully ready, and wathed, and fitted your felf for the Solemnity of the day, S2

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