SermonsMeditations on the Sanctification of the Lord’s Day and on the Judgments Which Attend the Profanation of It

Increase Mather, D.D.

Isaiah 61.2:

Blessed is the man that does this,—that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it.

Calvin in 4. Preceptum.

Dominicum Servasti? Christianus sum, intermittere non possum. Nobis cum veteri populo cummunis est Sabbathi necessitas, ut die uno liberi simus.

Boston

Printed by T.G. for Benjamin Eliot in King Street, 1712

Introduction

Increase Mather (June 21, 1639 – August 23, 1723) was one of the last of the Puritan New England ministers. He was the son of Richard Mather and the father of the more famous Cotton Mather. He was educated at Harvard and at Dublin, Ireland and later became president of Harvard College. He was one of the most prolific writers of the late 17th and early 18th centuries in New England, only to be outdone by his son Cotton. He is better known as the pastor of the Second Church of Boston, which he served for over 50 years. He was a faithful and powerful minister of the Gospel.

The following work is the substance of a sermon preached to the Second Church of Boston in August 1712 regarding the doctrine and application of the Christian Sabbath, the Lord’s Day. As the sermon was needed in the early 18th century, so it is in our day. The doctrine of the Lord’s Day is an oft neglected teaching and practise. While all that Pastor Mather says upon this topic may not be received, his sermon is reproduced in hopes that it will cause us to examine our hearts and to practise this most holy duty.

The particularities of Mather’s style and time period are in the main retained.

The Preface

It has been disputed whether the observation of the Christian Sabbath is a Divine or only an ecclesiastical institution. The schoolmen and generally popish casuists make it to be a mere human ordinance; denying the morality of the fourth commandment; with whom some Prelatic Protestants, such as Heylin, Ironside, Pocklington, and Francis White (who was the Bishop of Eli), with others Ejusdem, and Farine concur. There is a paragraph in Calvin’s Institutes which seems to look that way. That book of his is an admirable composure. I remember many years ago, I read this distich on it:

Prater apostolicas post Christi tempora chartas Huic peperere Libro, secula nulla parem.

Yet he wrote it in his youth, when he was twenty six years old. Afterwards upon second thoughts, being arrived to a greater maturity of judgment, he declares himself after a different manner from what in his Institutes. In his “Commentary on Genesis” 2.3, he says, “That the consecration of one day in seven is of perpetual equity, unto which all men in all ages are obliged.” And he has an alike passage in his commentary on the fourth commandment. There is then no reason to reflect on that great man, as some have done, on the account of an obscure expression in one of his first books, from which one of his excellent successors in Geneva (namely Francis Turretine) has vindicated him, shewing that Calvin has been misunderstood in that passage, at which many have taken offence. But that the devoting of one day in seven to the Creator of the world and the Author of time, is a moral and therefore immutable precept, has been with great learning and solidly evidenced; as by divines of other nations, such as River, Walaus, Voetius, so with no less clearness of argumentation by divines of our own nation; especially by Dr. Twiss, Dr. Owen, Dr. Bownd, and Mr. White that famous minister in Dorchester whose memory New England has cause to honour; for that he was eminently serviceable in promoting the settlement of this colony. Also Mr. Nathaniel Eaton the first president of the College in Cambridge, did in the year 1633, under the presidency of Dr. Ames at Franeker, published an excellent dissertation asserting the morality of the Sabbath. Tis a sad thought that such a man should become an apostate and in his latter days a persecutor of good men and at last die in prison, but not for his religion.

There are who make the morality of the fourth commandment to consist in the observation of the seventh day of the week, endeavoring (like the old Ebonites) to reduce Christians to the Jewish Sabbath. Fourscore years ago, John Trask and Theophilus Brabourn made a disturbance in England with that opinion, and more lately Mr. Bampfield of Sherborn in Dorset, occasioned some trouble by reviving that error. I had above fifty years ago, the happiness of an intimate acquaintance with that reverend, aged, and singularly pious servant of the Lord, Mr. William Ben, who was a pastor of a church in Dorchester, and whom I can never think of without love and honour. He has answered all Mr. Bampfield’s allegations with great candor and solidity of judgment. I have not in what is emitted herewith, thought it worth the while to reply to the objections of Jewish Sabbatarians. It is done by the authors above mentioned, and by Mr. Baxter and Dr. Young as well as Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Shepard have proved the change of the Sabbath from the last of the seven to the first of the seven days in the week, where readers may find further satisfaction.

It must be owned that the Lord’s Day is better observed in Britain than in any other nation. And (notwithstanding our degeneracy) in New England with greater strictness than in most parts of England; and much more religiously than in any of the outgoings of the nation. Nevertheless, it might and ought to be kept after a more holy manner than by many it is. And it is much to be desired that for the future, there may be no townships or precincts settled unless by such as are both able and willing to uphold the public worship of God without which the Lord’s holy Day cannot be duly sanctified’ and that the inhabitants may not live at such a distance from one another as that they must of necessity travel six or seven miles to enjoy the ordinances of the Gospel. May this publication be any way conducing to prevent judgments and obtain blessings, I have my design therein, which is by establishing the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath, to promote piety and practical religion, which does very much consist in a due sanctification of the Lord’s Day.

Boston Sept. 8, 1712

Increase Mather

REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.

Jeremiah 17.27

But if you will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath-day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath-day, then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof; and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

The latter part of this chapter contains the substances of a sermon, which the prophet preached to the Jews concerning which there is noted:

1. The place where he was to deliver the message which the Lord sent him with, namely, in the gates of Jerusalem, ver. 19. The Jews used to keep their civil courts in the gates of their cities, which occasioned great concourse of people thither; for which cause the prophets did sometimes there declare the Word of God, that so many might hear it.
2. We have the matter of the sermon, or the duty which his auditors were exhorted unto that they should be very careful to hallow the Sabbath Day; ver. 21-22, “Take heed to yourselves.” According to the original, the words are, “Take heed to your souls.” The sanctification of the Sabbath is a weight duty, as being that wherein the souls of men are concerned. This exhortation is urged with diverse motives.

   1. The prophet was to put them in mind that God had commanded their fathers to hallow the Sabbath Day, but they did not do it, ver. 23. Two things are intimated in that motive; one is that if they should follow their father’s evil example, they would make their sin to become their own and so would contract a double guilt upon themselves. But on the other hand, if they obeyed the commandment themselves, then their father’s disobedience would not be imputed unto them, nor should they be punished for it.

   2. Another motive is from the consideration of the good which would follow upon their hallowing the Sabbath Day; in the 24, 25, 26 verses. The sum of which is that then they should enjoy both their civil and ecclesiastical state; that both their city and temple should be continued; and that people should come from all parts of the land to worship there; that they should enjoy great prosperity; and that religion should flourish among them.

   3. Another motive to the sanctification of the Sabbath is from the consideration of the evil which would follow upon the profanation of it, which is declared in the words now to be insisted on, and the DOCTRINE from them is,

      That when a people, professing religion, shall profane the Sabbath Day, they provoke the Lord to kindle terrible fires upon them.

There are three particulars to be enquired into for clearing the doctrine before us. [I.] When are men guilty of profaning the Sabbath Day? [II.] What is meant by that fire which God has threatened to punish such transgressors with? [III.] The reason why the Lord does so severely threaten and punish his people for this sin?

Question I. When are men guilty of profaning the Sabbath Day?

First in general. When they make no difference between that and other days. The Sabbath Day is an holy day, so to use it as a common day is to profane it. Whatever is dedicated to God is on that account sacred. The temple was an holy house because it was God’s house, Isa. 64.11. Men who are set apart to be God’s servants have on that account a relative holiness. The children of Israel are thence called an holy nation, Exod. 19.6. And more especially, the priests and Levites were holy because they were under a peculiar dedication to God. Thus time which is set apart for God is holy time. So is the Sabbath Day, Exod. 16.25, “Today is a sabbath to the Lord.” God calls it his Sabbath. Ezek. 20.12, “I gave them my Sabbaths.” Isa. 58.13, “My holy day.” Hence such things may be done on any other day of the week, which if done on the Sabbath Day will be a profaning of it. But to speak more particularly.

1. When men do not devote unto God every week that portion of time which he has appropriated to himself, they do not hallow the Sabbath Day. And what is that portion of time? It is a seventh part of time, as often as the week comes. This man was instructed by the law and order of the creation, Gen. 2.2-3. On the seventh day, God ended his work which he made, and he rested the seventh day from all his work which he had made; and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he rested from all his work, which God created and made. This Adam was not unacquainted with; he knew that God was six days in creating the world, and that he rested on the seventh day; and he knew that it was his duty to imitate God, who said to him in working and resting, “Do as I have done.” Wherefore, good men in the first ages of the world, before the flood, did publicly and solemnly worship God, Gen. 4.26. Since there was then a public external worship, there was surely a day fixed for it. Hence Moses speaks as in Exod. 16.23, “This is that which the Lord has said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” To whom and when did the Lord say this? Not to the children of Israel only; but to the patriarchs before them. For Moses speaks of it not as a new thing but as that which was well known. This was before the law was given at Mount Sinai. If the Sabbath were not before the law, then the world would have been 2,513 years (for so long it was from the creation to the giving of the law) without any Sabbath, which is not to be believed. Nor does it seem rational to say, God rested on the seventh day from the creation; and therefore he sanctified that day not then, but 2,000 years afterwards. The morality of the fourth commandment consists not in consecrating the seventh day but a seventh part of time to God. Hence tis said in the commandment, “Remember the sabbath day.” But the commandment does not say, “Remember the seventh day.” In the fourth commandment, six days are allowed to men to work in and one to be observed as a sacred rest. One of seven is the hebdomadal1 revolution. The sanctification of one day in seven belongs to every covenant of God with men. So when under the covenant of works in the state of innocency. So under the covenant made with the children of Israel. So under the covenant of the gospel. Hence when men do not devote unto God a seventh part of time in the weekly revolution, if they rob God of any part of it, they are guilty of a profanation, yea, of a sacrilegious profanation of the Sabbath Day.

2. If men do not consecrate to the Lord the particular day which himself has appointed, they will be found guilty of profaning the Sabbath. In the first ages of the world, and till the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the seventh day of the week was to be kept holy, in commemoration of the work of creation. But God having accomplished another work greater than that of creation, namely, the work of redemption’ the Sabbath is changed from the seventh to the first day of the week, on which day Christ rose from the dead and was the Author of a new creation, which is a more glorious work than the first creation. As for the seventh day Christ has buried it. The rest of that day was a typical prefiguration of the rest of the body of Jesus Christ in the grave. He was crucified the day before the Jewish Sabbath and continued in the grave all the seventh day and thereby has buried the observation of it. But the day of his resurrection has made a new world. This was on the first day of the week, which is therefore to be observed by Christians under the gospel as sacred to the Lord. It is remarkable, that in the repetition of the fourth commandment in the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy, it is not enforced from the creation but from a type of our redemption, the deliverance out of Egyptian bondage. It is also a judicious and acute observation which Dr. Usher (the most learned Primate of Ireland) has, namely, “That the feast of weeks was always celebrated the day after the seventh day of the week.” “And” (says he), “What could be presignified thereby; but that under the state of the gospel, the solemnity of the weekly service should be celebrated on the first day of the week?” And there are scriptures in the Old Testament which are predictive of this change of the Sabbath. Thus is Psalm 118.24, it is said, “This is the day which the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” The words are to understood concerning the day of our Saviour’s resurrection, and they are a prophecy that that should become the day of the church’s solemn rejoicing, that it should be the day for Christians constantly to meet together to praise God, and to rejoice in him on the account of his being our Redeemer. Another scripture in the Old Testament is Ezek. 43.27, where the prophet foretells how it would be in the days of the gospel, “It shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt-offerings on the altar, and your thank-offerings: and I will accept you, saith the Lord God.” The words clearly predict that the seventh day’s solemn service should cease and that on the eighth day, i.e., that on the day after the seventh, the solemn worship of God should be attended and spiritual sacrifices offered on the gospel altar. There are also scriptures in the New Testament which confirm the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week. We find in the Gospels, that Christ after his resurrection appeared to his disciples on the first day of the week. When God appeared in any place, that place was holy. Since Christ our risen Lord appeared to his disciples on the first day of the week, and we know not that he appeared to them on any other day, why should it not be an honourable day to us? There is a scripture in the fourth chapter to the Hebrews which very judicious interpreters look upon as a clear proof that the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath. The Apostle there shows that the rest which David prophesied of in the ninety-fifth Psalm was not fulfilled in the seventh day’s rest, which the patriarchs observed, nor yet in that which the children of Israel enjoyed in Canaan, but that under the Gospel there is another day of rest that remains. Ver. 9, “There remains a sabbath” (so is the Greek word there) i.e., the keeping of a Sabbath. Observe the reason in the tenth verse, “For he that is entered into his rest he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” When God ceased from the work of creation, a day of rest the seventh day was consecrated to him. So Christ having ceased from his works and entered into his rest which he did at his resurrection, there is the keeping of a Sabbath in commemoration of it remaining for the people of God under the Gospel. Christ had power to change the Sabbath, Mat. 12.8, “For the son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.” And the day is changed by his appointment. It was meet that he who is the Author of the gospel-worship should appoint the special day for the solemnization of it; and thereby he has caused his wonderful work (that work of redemption which he has sent to his people) to be remembered, Psalm 111.4, 9. Hence the Scripture speaks of the “Lord’s day,” Rev. 1.10. When John wrote the Revelation, Christians were wont to call the first day of the week the Lord’s Day. The seventh day never had that name given to it, nor any other day but the first day of the week. Christ is the Lord to whose honour that day is consecrated. Nor may we consecrate a day to the honour of any mere man, because tis religious worship which God only is to be the object of.

   The apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ directed Christians to the observation of this day, and therefore Christ himself did it, for they taught nothing but what he commanded them, 1 Cor. 14.37. The apostle Paul gave order to the churches in Galatia, and to the church in Corinth, that they should have their holy collections on the first day of the week, 1 Cor. 16.1-2. Writers inform us that it was customary with the Jews to have collections in all their synagogues every Sabbath Day. The apostle writing to Christian churches, orders them to have their collections not (as the Jews had) on the seventh day but on the first day of the week. We find in the Acts of the Apostles that Christians did celebrate the worship of God on the first day of the week. At Troas the disciples came together on that day when Paul preached and administered the Lord’s Supper to them, Act. 20.7. Paul was there on the seventh day, but neither he nor the church there took any notice of the seventh day but of the first day. And thus did Christians practice in the next ages to the apostles as we see in the writings of Ignatius (who is reported to be contemporary with the apostles and familiar with John,) Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and other primitive writers. Some few who called themselves Christians, have Judaized in observing the seventh day for their Sabbath, but the body of Christians, in all ages have religiously kept the first day of the week as holy to the Lord. It would be strange that in a manner the whole Christian world should concur in the observation of the first day if that were not of Divine institution. Some of the converted Jews observed both days, as they did both circumcision and baptism. The Galatian Jews observed the seventh day, Gal. 4.10, and the first day, 1 Cor. 16.1. But converted Gentiles kept only the Lord’s Day. And God has signally owned the observation of it by the communications of his Holy Spirit on that day especially. The holy apostle was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, Rev. 1.10. And there were miraculous effusions of the Holy Spirit on all the apostles on that day, Acts 2.4. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost. This was when the Day of Pentecost was come, ver. 1. Now that being the fiftieth day after the Passover (and therefore tis called Pentecost, which signifies fiftieth) it was on the first day of the week. Pentecost is the same with the feast of weeks, which was to be seven weeks after the feast of unleavened bread, Deut. 16.9. Then the first fruits were offered to the Lord. The type was answered in that the Spirit was poured out on that day, as the first fruits of Christ’s ascension. There were 3,000 souls converted in that one day by one sermon. And although God is not tied up to any day, but converts when as well as whom he pleases, nevertheless, there have been more souls converted on the Lord’s Day than on any other day. Thus has God delighted to put honour on this day. Nor has he ever manifested his displeasure at those who have honoured it by observing that instead of the seventh day, on the account of their having done so. But on the other hand, his wrath has been revealed from heaven against the profaners of the Lord’s Day, as in the application of the doctrine shall be declared. As for the seventh day, does not the New Testament condemn the observation of Jewish Sabbath of which that was one? Gal. 4.10; Col. 2.16.

3. When there is not a resting on the Sabbath Day, then it is profaned. The Hebrew word Shabath signifies “to rest.” The name whereby tis called gives us to understand that it ought to be observed as an holy rest. When the Jewish Sabbath was in force, the Lord’s people spent it as a rest sacred to the Lord, Luke 23.56, “Rested on the sabbath day, according to the commandment.” There was among the children of Israel sabbath years, as well as a Sabbath Day, which were a Divine institution. Every seventh year was a sabbath year, and then the land was to rest from tillage. Lev. 25.4 says, “In the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land; a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy seed nor prune thy vineyard.” The covetous Jews would not obey that commandment, for which God was so provoked as to threaten to send enemies upon them who should remove them out of their land, and then it would rest, Lev. 26.34, 35. “Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths; even then shall the land rest and enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate it shall rest, because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when you dwelt in it.” Much more ought there to be resting on the weekly Sabbath.

   Several things are implied in this rest, which if not duly attended the Sabbath will be profaned.

   1. We may not do any servile work on this day, Exod. 20.9, 10, “Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work.” Not any work which is thy work. God’s work may be done on God’s day. Praying and preaching is the work of the Lord, and therefore a Sabbath Day’s work. But servile works are not so. And under the name of servile works, such as are called liberal are comprehended. To teach or study the liberal arts, grammar, logic, philosophy, mathematics on the Sabbath Day would be a profanation of it. Some works which on the week days are not only lawful but a duty would on the Lord’s Day be an high transgression of the commandment. For men to be diligent in their particular civil callings is a duty, but not on the day of sacred rest. Works of husbandry, plowing, sowing, reaping, and etc., may not then be done. When Nehemiah saw some treading wine-presses and bringing in sheaves on the Sabbath, he testified against them as profaners of the Sabbath Day, Neh. 13.15. Men may not merchandise; they may not make bargains; they may not buy and sell on the Lord’s Day. When the men of Tyre brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold them on the Sabbath to the Jews, Nehemiah reproved the nobles in Judah for permitting it, and said, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the sabbath day?” ver. 17. So the carrying of burdens on the Sabbath Day is inconsistent with hallowing of it, as is in the text and context before us expressly declared. Tradesmen may not go to work on the Sabbath Day, though it were to build an house for the worship of God. When the tabernacle was to be built, it was said, “You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the sabbath day,” Exod. 35.3. I do not think (as the Jews and from them many have done) that the children of Israel were absolutely forbidden to kindle a fire on the Sabbath Day, for the priests kindled a fire in their service at the temple on the Sabbath; therefore this was not an absolute prohibition. Moreover, they had sometimes great dinners on that day. Christ honoured one of them with his presence, Luk. 14.1. And tis evident that the Christians of Corinth had the like, 1 Cor. 11.21. Now such things could not be without kindling a fire. But the meaning of that mentioned prohibition was that they might not kindle a fire in order to any handy work, to heat any tool, or to melt any metal, though it were for the use of the tabernacle. But this general rule admits some exceptions. For:
      1. Works of mercy may be done on the Sabbath Day. We may visit the sick; we may relieve the distressed; physicians may look after their patients on the Sabbath Day. For tis said, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath,” Mar. 2.27. God commanded the Sabbath for men’s good and not for their hurt, and not that any man’s life or health should be endangered thereby. Works of mercy towards dumb creatures may be done on the Sabbath Day, Mat. 12.11, “What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and it fall into the pit on the sabbath day, will not lay hold on it, and lift it out?” The giving of food to dumb creature being a work of mercy, may be done on the Sabbath Day, Luke 13.15, “Does not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?” Much more may works of mercy be shewed to man on the Sabbath Day, as Christ argued against the Jews, who were prejudiced against him for his doing works of mercy and charity towards men on the Sabbath Day, Joh. 7.23, “If a man on the sabbath receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?” We may do that on the Sabbath, which otherwise should not be done, in case by the omitting of it, the law of charity will be broken.
      2. Works of necessity may be done on the Sabbath Day. For then servile works pass into the nature of sacred works. Works necessary not only for the saving of life but for the comfort of life may then be done, e.g., the preparing of food so far as is necessary for the refreshment of nature. We read in Mat. 12.1, “That Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn, and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.” At this the Pharisees were offended and charged the disciples with breaking the Sabbath. But Christ vindicated them and proved that they might do it from the example of David, and those with him who did eat the shew-bread, which none but the priests might eat of. But necessity caused that law to be dispensed with. The law of nature commands every man to feed himself when he is hungry. Works necessary to be done either for the upholding of our lives or fitting us for Sabbath services are lawful to be done on the Sabbath Day. It has been an old maxim that necessity, or danger of life does put by the Sabbath. If enemies should come upon us on the Sabbath Day, it is no violation of the commandment for us to take up arms for our own necessary defence. We find in the Scripture that the Lord’s people did by his commandment defend themselves against their invading enemies on the Sabbath day, 1 King. 20.29. And did not Joshua cut off the people in Jericho on the Sabbath Day? The Jews were too superstitious when they would make no resistance against Antiochus, who set upon them on the Sabbath Day. They ran into caves, and there thousands of them were stifled to death with smoke, they doing nothing in their own defence. And afterwards Matthias their leader had much ado to persuade them to a self-defence on the Sabbath Day. This superstitious scrupulosity made them a prey to Pompey afterwards. So if an house should take fire on the Lord’s Day, all hands may go to work to quench it. A learned writer relates that not long since in Amsterdam a fire broke forth in the house of a Jew there, and he would do nothing to extinguish it because it was then his Sabbath Day. Only the Christians to save their own houses did it, whether the Jew would or no. But we must remember that the necessity must be present and certain; otherwise to do servile works will be a profanation of the day. For an husbandman to gather in his corn on the Lord’s Day because it may be the next day it will rain and his corn will suffer damage, which is a future and only conjectural thing, that would be a profanation. Notwithstanding loose popish casuists (and some Lutherans) allow it, as they do a great many other immoralities. The case is much the same when mariners set sail on the Lord’s Day because then they have a fair wind, which it may be they shall not have the next day. In Scotland they have an article in their ecclesiastical discipline inhibiting all sailors to begin a voyage on the Lord’s Day, declaring such to be profaners of the Sabbath and liable to the censures of the church. It were well if there were a law in New England to the same effect.

   2. The commandment of resting on the Sabbath, implies that we may not take unnecessary journeys on that day. When tis said, Isa. 58.13, “Turn away thy foot from the sabbath,” that forbids travelling on the Lord’s Day. For travelling is contrary to resting. Its true, men may travel on the Sabbath so far as is necessary in order to their attending the public worship of God. When the woman of Shunem was very importunate to ride to the prophet Elisha, who then resided at Carmel, it was said to her, “Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath,” 2 Kings 4.23. They did not scruple going to hear the Word of God from a prophet, though it were as far as from Shunem to Carmel, which were some miles distant. But though men may travel on God’s account on his day, they may not do so on their own accounts, or to dispatch any worldly business on that holy day. Though to serve God, yet not to serve themselves. Nor ought they to take journeys for public worship, when they may enjoy it no less to their edification nearer at hand. The Scripture speaks of a “sabbath day’s journey,” Act. 1.12. That is supposed to be as far as the distance was between the ark (the guide of their journeys) and the children of Israel when encamping in the wilderness, which was two thousand cubits. That makes one, or according to the measure of the cubits, two of our miles, Josh. 3.4.

   3. When men indulge themselves in sports and pastimes on the Lord’s Day, they disturb the rest of the Christian Sabbath and profane it, Isa. 58.13, “Not finding thy own pleasure on my holy day.” They are not sensual but spiritual, holy and heavenly pleasures which are suitable to the Sabbath. To do servile works on the Lord’s Day is not so great a sin (though tis a great one) as to sport and play away that holy time. Austin says truly, “Melius est arare quam saltare in Sabbato” (Men had better plough than dance on the Sabbath Day). We teach our children in their catechism that they must rest from labour and much more from play on the Lord’s Day. Christian emperors have made very severe laws to punish those who should use sports and pastimes on that sacred day. The famous Synod at Dort exhorts the magistrates in the United Netherlands to take effectual measures for the suppressing of all such profanations, and that they would not permit the celebration of marriages on the Lord’s Day.

   4. When Sabbath duties are not duly attended, the Sabbath is not duly sanctified. It is requisite that a considerable part of the day should be spent in religious exercises, both in public and in private. How many hours is necessary to be spent in such exercises is not determined. Only it is all the reason in the world that men should allow God as much time for his service on his day as they ordinarily allow themselves on the week day. They do not spend the whole natural day in labour, but they take time for sleep, and to refresh their bodies with meat and drink. So we may on the Lord’s Day. But diligent persons usually spend twelve hours of the natural day in labour, Joh. 11.9, “Are there not twelve hours in the day?” It is a shame for them then if they do not spend so many hours in religious duties on the Lord’s Day. The worship of God ought then to be solemnized in public assemblies. Isa. 66.23, “From one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” Instituted worship is proper work for the Lord’s Day, though it may be practiced on any other day. Sacrifices under the law belonged to instituted worship, and were offered on the Sabbath Day. Under the gospel, baptism and the Lord’s Supper are Divine institutions and proper for the Lord’s Day, Act. 20.7. And there is natural or moral worship which ought to be celebrated publicly on the Lord’s Day. Prayer and praise is a part of moral worship, proper and necessary for the sanctification of the Sabbath. The Jews when they had not liberty to build a synagogue in that city where they dwelt, they would build oratories at a small distance from the city unto which they would resort to stay together, especially on the Sabbath Day. This we see, Act. 16.13, “On the sabbath we went out of the city by the river side, where prayer was wont to be made.” As to pray, so to praise God for his wonderful works is necessary in order to the sanctification of the Sabbath. This has the ninety-second Psalm taught us, which is named “A Psalm for the Sabbath Day.” And it begins thus, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praise to thy Name, O most High.” Consider the Psalm, and you will see that tis spent in praising God for his works of creation and for his works of providence. So ought we to be on the Lord’s Day, and more abundantly for the work of redemption, which we are then especially to commemorate and to rejoice in the Lord for, Psa. 118.24. To hear the Word of God publicly dispensed is another part of religious worship to be attended on the Sabbath Day. We have our Saviour’s example before us for this in Luk 4.16, “As his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” And we find that when he had read a portion of Scripture, he explained and applied it. This was customary with the Jews, Acts 13.27. The prophets were read every Sabbath Day. But they did not use to read without some exposition or exhortation. Therefore the synagogue was by them called Beth Midrash, The House of Exposition. The apostle Paul preached at Antioch in Pisidia on the Sabbath Day, and many that heard him were so affected that they desired he would preach the same sermon again the next Sabbath Day. Tis said that on the next Sabbath Day came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God, Acts 13.42, 44. But besides public worship, there are private exercises of religion in families and in closets to be attended on the Lord’s Day. It should be so every day, but on God’s Day they ought rather to be doubled than lessened. On the Sabbath Day, the offerings were to proceed those of the week day, Num. 8.9, 10. Which instructs us that our spiritual offerings should then be extraordinary. Especially under the gospel our services should be more than under the law. Hence the prophet speaking of what should be in the days of the New Testament says that on the Sabbath Day there should be six lambs offered, Ezek. 46.4, which is three times as much as was required under the law. When the Lord’s Day is thus religiously kept, it becomes a little emblem of heaven, and to the sincere sanctifiers of it, a pledge of their enjoying an eternal Sabbath is another world. For how do they in heaven spend (I will not say their time) but their eternity which can never be spent? They rest from all servile labours but not from holy labour, which to them is no labour, “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Rev. 4.8.

Question II. What are we to understand by that fire with which God has threatened to punish Sabbath breakers?

Answer:

1. There is a fire in a proper, literal sense. That being a severe judgment, the holy God to manifest his hot displeasure against this sin does sometimes punish it with desolating fires. Of this the text before us is partly and firstly to be understood. The Lord here threatens Jerusalem that if they did not hallow the Sabbath Day, their city should be set on fire and the stately houses therein consumed, and so it came to pass. The house set apart for the worship of God, and the king’s palace, and the houses of the rich men, and all the houses in the town were burnt with fire as a punishment for their sin in profaning the Sabbath Day. Thus tis declared, Jer. 52.13, “Nebuzaradan came into Jerusalem, and burnt the house of the Lord, and the kings house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men burnt he with fire.” Thus were the words of the prophet literally fulfilled. But we may not limit the threatening unto that only.

   For:

2. There are metaphorical fires. There is the fire of affliction, Zech. 13.9, “I will bring a third part through the fire; and they shall be refined as silver is refined,” that is to say, with the fire of affliction. Especially great calamities are compared to fire, Ezek. 15.7, “They shall go out of one fire, and another fire shall devour them.” Hence deliverance from such afflictions is expressed by being plucked out of the fire. When the Lord’s people were delivered out of their captivity in Babylon, which was a sore affliction; ‘twas said, “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” Zech. 3.2. Great judgments are denoted by this expression of kindling a fire. The sword is one of the sorest judgments, and it is set forth in the Scripture by that of flame and fire. When God threatened to send the king of Babylon with a formidable army to conquer the land of Judah, he does after this manner express it, “Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee: the flaming flame shall not be quenched.” Ezek. 20.47. When the providence of God sends war, he kindles a flame. Wherefore,
3. There is the fire of God’s wrath. The profanation of God’s holy day kindles that fire, Neh. 13.18, “Ye bring wrath upon israel by profaning the sabbath.” No fire which can be mentioned is to be compared with that fire. No creature can stand before it, Isa. 33.14, “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burning?” The Scripture speaks of hell fire, which is a fire that torments not bodies only but spirits; a fire which the Devil and his angels shall be punished with which cannot be meant of a spiritual fire but of the fire of divine wrath. As the happiness of saints in heaven is set forth by earthly similitudes, so the punishment of sinners in hell and because there is no pain or punishment more terrible than that of being burnt to death, therefore the punishment of the damned is after that manner described. And it is like that fire which the text before us threatens Sabbath breakers with, a fire that shall not be quenched. We proceed to the third enquiry.

Question III. Whence is it that the Lord does so severely threaten and punish for this transgression?

Answer:

1. The commandment which requires the sanctification of the Sabbath Day is a weighty commandment. To consecrate a seventh part of time to the Lord in the weekly revolution constantly is (as we have showed) that which all men in all ages of the world are by the moral law obliged unto. It is one of the Ten Commandments. That law contains Ten Commandments; so does the Scripture expressly declare, Deut. 4.13 and 10.4. But without the Sabbath there are but nine. If we observe not that, we reject one of the Ten Commandments. This commandment was written by the finger of God himself on two tables of stone which were delivered to Moses, which intimates the perpetuity of it. And it is observable that no commandment is so often mentioned both by Moses and by the prophets as that of the Sabbath, and of all the Ten Commandments, there are none backed with so many reasons as the fourth commandment is. And moreover, a solemn memento prefixes before it. Men are apt to forget it and to find excuses for their transgressing of it; to prevent which there is a fence set about it. Tis then guarded so men might be sure not to disregard it. Hence the violation of this precept is mentioned as one of the greatest sins and provocations which argues the importance of it, Ezek. 10.13, “My sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness to consume them.” We find that in the wilderness they would gather manna on the Sabbath Day and gather sticks on the Sabbath Day, and doubtless they were guilty of other profanations not recorded in the Scripture which provoked the Lord to threaten that his fury should come like a storm pouring down upon them. And again, chap. 22.8, “Thou has despised my holy things, and profaned my sabbaths.” God speaks of it as that which is an heinous sin and highly provoking to him. All their wickedness is comprehended in that of profaning the Sabbath, a special part put for the whole.
2. The religion of a people is according to what their Sabbaths are. They who duly sanctify his holy day, God owns them to be his people. Their sanctifying his day is a sign of it, Ezek. 20.20, “Hallow my sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between me and you, that they may know that I am the Lord your God.” Heathen people do not remember the Sabbath Day to sanctify it. Pagans of old (not unlike some formal loose Christians, who call themselves Protestants in these latter times) were wont in a way of derision to call the Lord’s people “Sabbatarij,” i.e., Sabbath-keepers. The sanctification of the Sabbath is sometimes in the Scripture put for all religion, of which it is indeed an essential part. They who embrace the true Christian religion are thus described, “The sons of the strangers that join themselves to the Lord to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold of my covenant.” Isa. 56.6. Men who observe no Sabbath are men of no religion. They who do not observe the Lord’s Day as their Sabbath are not worthy of the name of Christians. For Christians are distinguished from Jews and pagans and Mahometans by their observation of the Lord’s Day. It was wont to be said in primitive times, “Dominicum Servasti?” “Hast thou kept the Lord’s Day?” The Christian would answer; “Christianus sum intermittere non possum,” “I am a Christian, and therefore I cannot but observe the Lord’s Day.” They who satisfy themselves with external observation of it only are but formalists in religion. But when the Lord’s holy Day is called a delight, and God is duly honoured in it, there is godliness in the power of it. Religion does flourish in that land, in that family, in that soul where it is so. But when a professing people shall become careless as to the manner of their observing the Sabbath Day, they degenerate, religion decays. We see it in the Jews, who still keep their Jewish seventh day Sabbath but with no real religion. They will repair to their synagogues twice, but when they are at home, there is little or no difference in their discourses from what on other days. They will indulge themselves in vain mirth and jollity, and commonly they have their weddings on their Sabbath Day, a practice which some degenerate Christians imitate them in: But it is prohibited in the ecclesiastical discipline of the churches in Hungary and in Bohemia and has been condemned by two synods in Holland. Baldeinus in his “Cases of Conscience” declares that Luther put an end to that practice in Wittenberg. Nor can anything be more contrary to the Scripture. Witness what is written, Isa. 58.132. Now considering that the life of religion depends much on the due sanctification of the Sabbath Day, it is not to be wondered at if the fire of God’s anger does break forth upon a people when they do not hallow but profane the Lord’s Day.

   1. USE, I. We may see one reason of those fiery judgments which the Lord has been visiting us with. Chaldeans (Canadians who are no better than they were) have been let loose upon us. How many houses have they burnt with fire, and murdered those who dwelt in them? And in this great town, we have been visited with desolating fires, not only in former years but the last year. Some of the sad ruins made thereby are still before our eyes. Sin has been the cause of it all. Mic. 1.5, “For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel.” For the transgression of New England and for the sins of Boston, wars and fires have been kindled upon us. Among other sins and provoking evils found among us, this of profaning the Sabbath is one and none of the least. How many throughout the land may cry guilty?

      Are there not those who do not devote unto God a seventh part of time in the weekly revolution? They will be late on the last day of the week engaged in their secular business, and then at it again on the Lord’s Day evening, and it may be will pretend that tis their judgment that the Sabbath Day does not begin in the evening before the Lord’s Day. But be not deceived, God will not be mocked. In the name of God, why then do you not more religiously observe the evening after the Lord’s Day! Certainly, such then are sacrilegious profaners of the Lord’s holy Day. God may say to them as he did to the Jews in Mal. 2.8, “Will man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. If you say as they did, Wherein have we robbed God?” The answer is, You rob him of a night every week in that you keep no night holy to the Lord. How careful was Nehemiah the governor in Jerusalem about this matter? He would have the whole night, as well as the day consecrated to the Lord, Neh. 13.19, “When the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, he commanded that they should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath.” Because Jerusalem was compassed with mountains, it began to be dark presently after sunset.

      Again, are not Sabbath duties neglected by too many? Is the public worship of God duly attended? Are there not some who never attend it notwithstanding that the sanctification of the Sabbath Day does in a special manner consist therein? And this ought to be attended not only in the former but in the latter part of the day. The Jews when they were the people of God, used on the Sabbath Day to assemble for public worship not only in the morning but in the afternoon. And there is scripture for it. The ninety-second Psalm is entitled, “A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath Day.” (We must remember that the titles of the Psalms are Scripture, no less than the Psalms themselves.) Now (as we have before noted) the Song for the Sabbath begins thus, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, to sing praises to thy name, O most High; to shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness in the nights.” An intimation that on the Sabbath Day, there ought to be not only a morning but an evening sacrifice. Whereas there are many who if they appear at God’s house in the morning, they think they have done enough. They do not attend the public worship both parts of the day, although they have no reasonable excuse for their neglect. Nay, are there not people in New England who never Sabbatize? Are there not some plantations where they have no public worship of God from one end of the year to the other? Tis a sad thing that there should be found any such infamous plantations in New England consisting of men who are called Christians but are no better than pagans. And among ourselves, are there not those who do not worship God among his people on the Lord’s Day, pretending bodily infirmities for their staying at home? And yet they can go abroad every other day of the week. A sad sign that they have little love to the house of God.

      Moreover are there professors of religion (as well as others) very guilty of profaning the Sabbath by unsuitable discourse on that holy day? Does not the Lord say, On my holy day, thou shalt not speak thy own words? Isa. 58.13. Which implies that on the Lord’s Day, our discourse should be religious and not worldly. There are works very lawful on the week day, which would be a profanation if done on the Sabbath. The like is to be said concerning words. But do not very many make little difference as to their words on the Lord’s Day and on other days? Are not their words their own, all about their own affairs? When people in the country are a number of them together between the public meetings, what is their discourse? Is it concerning the Word which was preached to them? Or is it not about their farms, their crops of corn, their horses, their cows, or what’s the price of this or that commodity? My brethren, these things ought not to be so. And in this Jerusalem, in Boston the law of the Sabbath has been grievously transgressed. Not very long since, under a pretence of necessity, there was a license granted to profane the Lord’s Day, by setting ship carpenters on work about graving a vessel. But God confuted that pretended necessity by causing such an high wind as that the carpenters could not go to work. No thanks to them, nor to those who encouraged them that they did not, and so hasten the kindling of a fire on the town. Ah! Degenerating New England, what wilt though come to e’re long? I cannot but in the name of the Lord (for God has made me by office a reprover) testify against thee. Have not burdens been carried on the Sabbath Day? Was it not so the last summer, when goods were carried on board vessels. Nay, carpenters, bakers, smiths employed about the servile works of their callings, then also under a pretended necessity? The like profanity never known in New England. Soon after which how terrible was God in his doings towards us? How terribly has he verified the words of my text in the midst of us? Has he not kindled a fire which has devoured our palaces? The temptation was that by this breach upon the Sabbath, we should please some who were then unhappily among us; we shall engage them to be our friends. But have they been so? Have they not (though with the greatest injury) laid the blame of the fatal last year’s expedition at our doors? So that by profaning the Sabbath, we have obtained no favour from men but incurred the hot displeasure of God.

      Let me further expostulate and plead the cause of God’s Sabbath. Are there not those who make themselves guilty of other men’s profaning the Sabbath by not preventing and restraining them from it when they might and ought to do it? It belongs to magistrates to restrain their subjects from this sin. And blessed be God that New England has yet magistrates that will do so. I wish all were as zealous in this cause as some are. Nehemiah’s zeal in this matter is recorded in the Scripture for all magistrates to follow his godly example. When there were merchants and sellers of all kind of ware profaning the Sabbath at Jerusalem, he testified against them said, I’ll lay hands on you. From that time came they no more on the Sabbath, Neh. 13.21. It is related in the life of that famous magistrate, Mr. Ignatius Jourdain, that when he was mayor of the city of Exeter, he caused a great reformation there by a strict observation of the Lord’s Day. And as those in civil authority may not permit it in the Commonwealth so neither may heads of families suffer their servants, no, nor those who lodge in their houses, to do things unlawful to be done on the Sabbath Day. Concerning this the commandment is express, Exod. 20.10, “In it thou shalt no do any work, nor the stranger within thy gates.” But in a most special manner, parents ought to watch over their children so they do not profane the Sabbath, else they make themselves guilty of their children’s sin and may expect that God will punish not only their children but them also. You may not suffer your children to play in your houses, much less in the streets, and least of all in the house of God on the Lord’s Day. If you see it not yourselves, if you are informed of it by others, prevent it for the future. There are some parents so very ungodly that if their neighbours out of love and faithfulness acquaint them with the profaneness of their children, instead of restraining and correcting their wicked children, they will be displeased and prejudiced at those who have told them of it. Let such parents remember what God said to Eli, 1 Sam. 3.13, “I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” When your children play on the Lord’s Day, they make themselves vile children. If you restrain them not, how can you think that your houses shall escape the judgments of God? There are great complaints of the flaming wickedness of children in this part of town, who are seen playing in the streets and near unto, nay, in the house of God, and this too in the time of public worship. As the apostle said to the Corinthians on another account, 1 Cor. 15.34, “I speak this to your shame,” so I speak it to the shame of the North Congregation in Boston, that strangers who occasionally come here, profess that they never saw such rudeness and profaneness on the Sabbath amongst any children as in this assembly. I do with all possible solemnity, in the name of the Lord this day charge you that effectual care be taken for the reformation of this evil if you would not have God to kindle another fire upon you which shall not be quenched. Do not put off the word of the Lord by saying, “We cannot keep it.” For it may be helped. Let some persons observe and note down the names of those children and inform their parents. If they correct their children it may be God will sanctify that to deliver their children’s souls from hell, but if they neglect their duty, inform the magistrate so they may be put to public shame and then the wickedness of those children will not be imputed to the town, and it may be hoped, that a reformation will be effected thereby. This congregation had experience of it near upon forty years ago when here was a couple of wicked youths who behaved themselves rudely and began to strike one another in sermon time. The commissioners, who then had a magistratical power in this town, ordered those youths to be publicly whipped, upon which they seemed very penitent and that punishment was remitted. Only they made an humble confession of their sin before all the congregation when a sermon was preached on those words, Gen. 28.17, “How dreadful is this place?” This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. After this, there was no more such wickedness seen in this part of the town for a long time.

   2. USE, II. Let us be warned against this sin. Ver. 22, “Take heed to yourselves,” says the Prophet, “That you become not guilty of it.” If you have any love to your souls beware of it; let children be warned against it. If you were the children of pagans who know no Lord’s Day, your sin would not be so great. But children amongst us are taught the fourth commandment, and what the meaning of that commandment is, that they must rest from labour, and much more from play on the Lord’s Day, and draw nigh to God in holy duties. Such children then sin against their light. They know what they do is evil and yet do it. How can such children, escape the fire of God’s wrath? How can such children think they shall not burn in the fire which shall not be quenched? Let young men beware of this sin, lest they provoke the Lord to leave them to other sins and it may be to capital crimes for which the sword of justice will cut them off and their everlasting confusion never be forgotten. How many malefactors who have come to unhappy and untimely ends have confessed that they believed their profaning the Sabbath had provoked the Lord to leave them to those sins which brought lamentable ruin upon them? One who had a peculiar call to converse with condemned malefactors declares he never observed signs of repentance in any of those malefactors, but they bitterly bewailed their having been guilty of profaning the Sabbath Day. He speaks of a Vintner executed at Tyburn, July 11, 1684, for murdering his wife on the Lord’s Day, who confessed that he had often been guilty of profaning that holy Day, for which the Lord might justly be provoked to leave him to that sin which brought him to the gallows. There was a young man in London who murdered another on the Sabbath Day, for which being worthy of death he was executed. But then he cried out, “O my profaning the Sabbath has provoked the Lord to leave me to that sin for which now I must die.” “Give warning,” said he, “To young men to beware of profaning the Lord’s Day, and let them know that Sabbath-breaking is a dangerous and a costly sin.” Then let us all beware of it. And especially let us beware of committing other sins on the Lord’s Day. For that is the highest profanation of the Sabbath which possibly can be. To do a wicked thing on the Sabbath Day is a crime which calls for fire from heaven. To be drunk on any day of the week is wicked but for a man to make himself drunk on the Lord’s holy Day is a double wickedness. So to steal or to commit lewdness on the Sabbath is horrible impiety. It exposes guilty sinners to the most fiery wrath of 27 heaven. The Jews did thus until the Lord destroyed them. They committed adultery and in the same day defiled the sanctuary and profaned the Sabbath, Ezek. 23.37-38. Whence is it that the Devil tempts ungodly men to sin and to do wickedly on the Lord’s Day more than on any day of the week? It is because he knows that then their sin will be greater and their damnation deeper, which is the thing that the enemy of their souls does chiefly design and desire.
   3. USE, III. I conclude with an exhortation: And let it be in the words of the fourth commandment, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

Some considerations and directions let me set before you.

1. Consider 1. The reasonableness of the commandment. God requires but one day in a week to be dedicated to himself in a stated way and allows us six days to attend our own occasions, and shall we think much to devote one to his service? As they said to Naaman, 2 Kings 5.13, “If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it?” Thus, if the Lord had required more days than one every week, would you not have yielded obedience to his holy will? How much rather when he calls for but one? Six parts of the time shall be for yourselves, says the Lord, and the seventh shall be mine. Especially we who live under the New Testament dispensation have reason to give unto God that day which is his due, with all the readiness and cheerfulness that may be. The Jews besides the ordinary weekly Sabbath were bound to attend many other festivals, by which they were taken off from their secular affairs. It is true, that when the providence of God calls for it, we are to attend sacred feasts and fasts, days for thanksgiving, and for humiliation as there may be occasion for them, but we who are Christians are not obliged in a stated way to set apart any other day besides the Lord’s Day. If we begrudge the Lord that one day, how unworthy are we?

2. Consider 2. The good which will follow upon a due obedience to this commandment. Judgments will thereby be prevented. The desolation fire which burnt Jerusalem down to the ground had not come if they had hallowed the Sabbath Day as they ought to have done. If you will hallow the Sabbath Day (says the prophet) this city shall remain forever. Jer. 17.24-25. Blessings and blessedness attend this obedience, Isa. 56.2, “Blessed is the man that keeps the sabbath from polluting it.” No man ever kept the Sabbath from polluting it, but it was a blessed day to him. In the fourth commandment it is said, “God blessed the sabbath day.” He has blessed it by making it a blessed day to those who shall keep it holy. And indeed all sorts of blessings use to accompany this obedience. When it shall be for the glory of God and the good of his servants, he will bless those who keep his Sabbath from polluting it with temporal blessings. Thus in the context before us it is intimated to Jerusalem that for them to hallow the Sabbath Day was the way to have the town prosper and flourish and for them to enjoy their houses and estates. We have the like promise in Isa. 58.13-14, “If thou turn thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day… I will cause you to ride on the high places of the earth,” i.e., you shall be above the reach of danger and shall conquer thy enemies. There will be nothing lost by giving God his due. When the children of Israel did forbear gathering manna on the Sabbath Day so they might keep it an holy rest unto the Lord, they lost nothing by it. The Divine providence supplied them with twice as much on another day. So will men prosper the more in their outward affairs if they remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. I have formerly on another subject put you in mind of a memorable observation of the late famous and religious judge Sir Matthew Hale, who in a letter to his children, in which he gives them directions for the sanctification of the Lord’s Day says,

   That he often found who the due observation of the duty of this day, had ever joined to it a blessing on the rest of his time; and the week so began was blessed and prosperous to him; but if on the other side, he had been negligent in the duties of this day, the rest of the week was unhappy; so that he could easily make an estimate of his successes, by the manner of his passing this day; and this (says he) I do not write lightly, or inconsiderately, but upon long and sound observation and experience.

   A later writer assures us that a friend of his observing a woman exposing fruit to sale on the Lord’s Day advises her to leave that practice and to attend the public worship and serve God on his day. The woman replied that she took more money on the Lord’s Day than on any day of the week, and that she could not live if she did not do it. To whom it was replied, “If you would leave off this practice, and keep the Lord’s Day holy attending the public worship and when you come home spend the time in reading the Scripture and in prayer to God and praising him for his mercies, God will send a blessing on your labours on the rest of the week which you cannot expect so long as you make market of his Sabbath.” The woman hearkened to his advice, and sometime after thanked him for it, saying she found his words true. For ever since she kept the Sabbath Day, she sold more on Mondays and Tuesdays than she used to do all the week before. But there is that which is better than temporal blessings. Spiritual blessings are promised to holy Sabbatizers. They will grow in grace. If they sanctify God’s day as they ought to do, he will sanctify them, Ezek. 20.12. Their prayers shall be accepted, and their hearts made joyful on that account, Isa. 56.6-7, “Every one that keeps the sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold on my covenant, even them will I make joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on my altar.” They shall have joyful answers of prayer. Yea, and eternal blessings are promised to them; ver. 5, “I will give them an everlasting name, which shall not be cut off.” Not that men deserve these blessings on the account of their hallowing the Sabbath Day. We may not think as the Jews did to be justified by our keeping the Sabbath strictly. But to believers of Jesus Christ, all the everlasting blessings of the covenant appertain. And none but such will truly and sincerely sanctify the Lord’s Day.

3. Consider 3. The evil found in not hallowing the Sabbath Day. Does not the text before us threaten fire, and unquenchable fire, too, for the profanation of it? It brings wrath from heaven. You bring wrath upon Israel (the church) in profaning the Sabbath. It does so of particular persons. I have seen a book which gives an account of six and fifty particular persons who had been notorious Sabbath breakers, and verily awful judgments overtook them all. There is another which speaks of fourteen young men, who on a Lord’s Day in the winter time, would go to play football on the ice, which broke under them, and they were all drowned. We must leave secret things with God but nevertheless it may justly be feared that those heaven daring young men went out of water into a fire which shall not be quenched. Doctor Twiss speaks of two profane men, who before the Sabbath was ended would toll a bell to call a company of ungodly men together to play at football. While they were in the belfry, one of them was struck stark dead with thunder and lightning, and the other of then was so blasted therewith that shortly after he died also. Several other the like remarkable judgments on notorious Sabbath breakers are taken notice of by that great and learned man in his excellent book of the morality of the Sabbath. I have received information concerning a couple of profane young men in a town belonging to New England who some years ago would venture to ride a race on the Lord’s Day, but when they were on their horses’ backs, the Lord smote them with a strange kind of palsy, of which they died after they had ben for some months in a very miserable condition. And when Sabbath breaking becomes a general sin, public judgments use to follow. To be sure the old world were profaners of the Sabbath, otherwise they would not be called the “world of the ungodly,” 2 Pet. 2.5. The profanation of the Sabbath is a great part of ungodliness. Piscator observes that God gave his last warning of the approaching flood on the Sabbath Day and that seven days after that the flood began on the Sabbath Day, Gen. 7.4, 10. Whole towns in England which were infamous for their profanation of the Lord’s Day have been consumed with fire. So was Stratford upon Avon. So was Feverton in Devonshire, where one might have seen four-hundred dwelling houses on fire at one time, and fifty persons consumed in those flames. And when it was rebuilt, in fourteen years after it was again burnt down to the ground. More lately, Draiton, Newport, and Wenlock in Shropshire have suffered great devastations by fire. All these towns were very guilty of profaning the Lord’s Day. Lands have been made desolate, in special for this sin. So was the land of Israel. And so it has been with Christian nations. Germany has bled for this sin. And so has England, when by the influence of that unhappy Archbishop Laud, there was a “Proclamation for Sports” on the Lord’s Day, plagues, and wars, and direful confusions quickly followed. The Protestants (as well as Papists) in France, have not kept such an holy rest to God on his day as they ought to have done, and the Lord has not suffered them to rest in their own land. We see that temporal judgments are the woeful fruit of this sin, but the willful transgressors of the commandment must expect that which is infinitely worse than any temporal misery. What do Sabbath breakers think of the fire which shall not be quenched? Will they have rest in that fire? Oh! Profane not God’s rest, lest he should be provoked to swear in his wrath that you shall not enter into his eternal rest.

These considerations should awaken us unto great care about the Sabbath. We in Boston, have singular reason to be concerned, considering what a combustible town we live in, and how many careless servants, and other wicked men are among us, nay, and some so wicked as that they would be glad if the town were on fire so they might have an opportunity to pilfer and steal their neighbours goods. It is almost a miracle that Boston is standing still. To sanctify the Lord’s Day is the way to obtain the continuance of a Divine protection, as from other judgments, so from desolating fires.

In order for a due sanctification of the Lord’s Day, take these few directions.

1. Remember the Sabbath Day. We shall not keep it holy except we remember it. It is a fearful thing when any man shall go to work on the Sabbath Day, and then pretend for his profanity, that he did not remember that it was the Sabbath Day. Can you think that such a man has any real religion in him? We should remember it before it comes, so as to prepare for it. Preparation is implied in this remembrance. As the Sabbath draws on there ought to be a preparation for it, Luke 23.54, “That day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.” The Jews, as their writers inform us, were wont to begin their preparation for the Sabbath the day before it, three hours afore sunset, when a trumpet was blown to give notice that the Sabbath drew on. Men should be careful to dispatch all their worldly affairs within the compass of the six days, which the Lord allows them to attend their own occasions in, that so when the Sabbath comes they may have nothing to do but to serve God and enjoy communion with him. And they should remember it when it is come. We should then remember whose day it is, that so no work may be done, nor words spoken unsuitable to the day. We should remember who it is we have to do with on the Sabbath Day. We have to do with God on that day, so as on no other day besides. And we should remember it after the day is done. The duties of the Sabbath should have an impression and influence upon our hearts and lives all the week after.
2. If we should not lose the benefit and blessing of the Lord’s holy day, let not the evening which follows it be misspent. I am far from advising you to anything of superstition or that you should make any time holy besides what God has made to be so, but men may do well to spend their time religiously when it is not holy time. The Jews of old had a saying among them, and it was well said, that we may not take from the Sabbath to add anything to the six days of the week, but we may lengthen the Sabbath Day with holy devotions. There are some young men in this town who meet in the evening following the Lord’s Day to repeat the sermons of the day and to pray and to sing Psalms. I pray the Lord to bless them and to increase their number. And I would the rather bless them in the name of the Lord because there are those who discover their hatred and enmity against such holy exercises. What though some wicked young men have apostatized and brought a scandal on such meetings (for which woe unto them), must exercises of piety be therefore decried? Ungodly church members bring a scandal on churches, must churches therefore be condemned? Some who frequent lectures prove bad, must we therefore cry down all lectures? Why should young men be discouraged from practicing moral duties which the light of nature directs unto? Especially considering that God has blessed such meetings, when seriously attended, for lasting benefit to the souls of some, yea, of many. Only care ought to be taken that they be under such a regulation as that the Lord’s name be not taken in vain. But alas! There are other young men, and how do they spend the Lord’s Day evening? They will meet together to be merry and vain and some are guilty of more sin that night than on any other night, which is a lamentation and shall befall a lamentation. One occasion of it is an unhappy custom which many professors of religion indulge themselves in, who go abroad that evening and spend the time in unprofitable discourses by means whereof the good impressions of the Sabbath are lost before the next day. You had much better stay at home and spend the evening in prayer and in reading your Bibles and other books of piety and in meditating on the works and Word of God, especially on the sermons you have heard. It will be no grief of heart to you when you come to die to remember the religion of the Sabbath. A synod held at Mascon in the year 585 exhorts Christians to spend the evening after the Sabbath in devotions. With what devotion did the Christians in Troas spend that evening? Acts 20.7.
3. Let us not content ourselves with an external sanctification of the Sabbath only. That may possibly prevent outward judgments and obtain temporal blessings, but God requires truth in the inward parts. He will be worshipped in spirit and in truth. It is pleasing to him to see our hearts in holy, spiritual, Sabbath frames on his day. To see that we delight in his holy day. To see that we long for it before it comes and are not glad when tis gone. Like the worldly-minded Jews, who said, “When will the sabbath be gone, that we may sell corn?” Amos 8.5. We should call the Sabbath honourable, Isa. 58.13. When we count it the best of days and esteem one Sabbath Day better than a thousand other days, then we count it honourable and honour the Lord on it. Surely it is good and desirable to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. Then, if ever, we should be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
4. If we would sanctify the Lord’s Day so as to find acceptance with God, we must make sure that we have true faith in Jesus Christ. For without faith, we cannot possibly do it. Heb. 11.6, “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” The condition of a Christless sinner is very miserable, considering that of the two and fifty Sabbaths in a year, he does not keep one of them after a manner acceptable to God. Supplies of grace from the Spirit of Christ are necessary for the performance of every duty. It is by faith that we derive those supplies. The apostle says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. He that would do good works must be in Christ Jesus. Eph. 2.10. Christ himself has said, Joh. 15.5, “Without me you can do nothing.” I shall add no more. I am very sensible that the time of my departure out of this world is near at hand; I was therefore the rather willing once more before I die to bear my testimony for the Lord’s Day and against the profanation of it. I have discharged my conscience and delivered my own soul. It is not without much infirmity that I have done it. I shall therefore conclude with the prayer which Nehemiah made when he had faithfully pleaded the cause of the Lord’s Sabbath, Neh. 13.22, “Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.”

Footnotes

1. hebdomadal: weekly · ↑
2. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words. (Isa 58:13 KJV) · ↑