DIRECTIONS FOR THE ORDER OF HOLY DUTIES.
_Tit. 1. Directions for the holy spending of the Lord's Day in
Families._
_Direct._ I. Be well resolved against the cavils of those carnal
men, that would make you believe that the holy spending of the Lord's
day is a needless thing.[43] For the name, whether it shall be called
the christian sabbath, is not much worth contending about: undoubtedly
the name of The Lord's Day, is that which was given it by the Spirit
of God, Rev. i. 10, and the ancient christians, who sometimes called
it, The Sabbath, by allusion, as they used the names, sacrifice, and
altar: the question is not so much of the name as the thing; whether
we ought to spend the day in holy exercises, without unnecessary
divertisements? And to settle your consciences in this, you have all
these evidences at hand.
1. By the confession of all, you have the law of nature to tell you,
that God must be openly worshipped, and that some set time should be
appointed for his worship. And, whether the fourth commandment be
formally in force or abrogated, yet it is commonly agreed on that the
parity of reason, and general equity of it, serveth to acquaint us,
that it is the will of God, that one day in seven be the least that we
destinate to this use: this being then judged a meet proportion by God
himself, (even from the creation, and on the account of commemorating
the creation,) and christians being no less obliged to take as large a
space of time, who have both the creation and redemption to
commemorate, and a more excellent manner of worship to perform.
2. It is confessed by all christians that Christ rose on the first day
of the week, and appeared to his congregated disciples on that day,
and poured out the Holy Ghost upon them on that day; and that the
apostles appointed, and the christian churches observed, their
assemblies and communion ordinarily on that day; and that these
apostles were filled with the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost,
that they might infallibly acquaint the church with the doctrine and
will of Jesus Christ, and leave it on record for succeeding ages;[44]
and so were intrusted by office, and enabled by gifts, to settle the
orders of the gospel church, as Moses did the matters of the
tabernacle and worship then; and so that their laws or orders thus
settled, were the laws or orders of the Holy Ghost, John xx. 1, 19, 26;
Acts ii. 1; xx. 7; 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2; Rev. i. 10; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20;
John xvi. 13-15; Rom. xvi. 16; 2 Thess. ii. 15.
3. It is also confessed, that the universal church, from the days of
the apostles down till now, hath constantly kept holy the Lord's day
in the memorial of Christ's resurrection, and that as by the will of
Christ delivered to them by or from the apostles; insomuch that I
remember not either any orthodox christian, or heretic, that ever
opposed, questioned, or scrupled it, till of late ages. And as an
historical discovery of the matter of fact, this is a good evidence
that indeed it was settled by the apostles; and consequently by
Christ, who gave them their commission, and inspired them by the Holy
Ghost.
4. It is confessed, that it is still the practice of the universal
church; and those that take it to be but of ecclesiastical
appointment, some of them mean it of such extraordinary ecclesiastics
as inspired apostles, and all of them take the appointment as
obligatory to all the members of the church.
5. The laws of the land where we live command it, and the king by
proclamation urgeth the execution: and the canons, and homilies, and
liturgy show that the holy observation of the Lord's day, is the
judgment and will of the governors of the church. Read the homilies
for the time and place of worship. Yea, they require the people to say
when the fourth commandment is read, "Lord, have mercy upon us, and
incline our hearts to keep this law." And the command of authority is
not a contemptible obligation.
6. It is granted by all, that more than this is due to God; and the
life that is in every christian telleth him, that it is a very great
mercy to us, not only to servants, but even to all men, that one day
in seven they may disburden themselves of all the cares and business
of the world, which may hinder their holy communion with God and one
another, and wholly apply themselves to learn the will of God. And
nature teacheth us to accept of mercy when it is offered to us, and
not dispute against our happiness.
7. Common experience telleth us, that where the Lord's day is more
holily and carefully observed, knowledge and religion prosper best;
and that more souls are converted on those days, than on all the other
days besides; and that the people are accordingly more edified; and
that wherever the Lord's day is ordinarily neglected or mispent,
religion and civility decay, and there is a visible, lamentable
difference between those places and families, and the other.
8. Reason and experience tell us, that if men were left to themselves,
what time they should appoint for God's public worship, in most places
it would be so little, and disordered, and uncertain, that religion
would be for the most part banished out of the now christian world.
Therefore there being need of a universal law for it, it is probable
that such a law there is; and if so, it can be by none but God, the
Creator, Redeemer, and Holy Ghost, there being no other universal
governor and lawgiver to impose it.
9. All must confess, that it is more desirable for unity and concord
sake, that all christians hold their holy assemblies on one and the
same day, and that all at once, through all the world, do worship God
and seek his grace, than that they do it some on one day and some on
another.
10. And all that ever I have conversed with, confess that if the holy
spending of the Lord's day be not necessary it is lawful; and
therefore when there is so much to be said for the necessity of it
too, to keep it holy is the safest way, seeing this cannot be a sin,
but the contrary may; and licence is encouragement enough to accept so
great a mercy. All this set together will satisfy a man, that hath any
spiritual sense of the concernments of his own and others' souls.
_Object._ But you will say, That besides the name, it is yet a
controversy whether the whole day should be spent in holy exercises,
or only so much as is meet for the public communion, it being not
found in antiquity, that the churches used any further to observe it.
_Answ._ No sober man denieth that works of necessity for the
preservation of our own or other men's lives, or health, or goods, may
be done on the Lord's day: so that when we say, that the whole day is
to be spent holily, we exclude not eating, and sleeping, nor the
necessary actions about worship; as the priests in the temple are said
to break the sabbath, (that is, the external rest,) and to be
blameless. But otherwise, that it is the whole day, is evident in the
arguments produced: the ancient histories and canons of the church
speak not of one part of the day only, but the whole: all confess,
that when labour or sinful sports are forbidden, it is on the whole
day, and not only on a part. And for what is alleged of the custom of
the ancient church, I answer, 1. The ancientest churches spent almost
all the day in public worship and communion: they begun in the
morning, and continued without parting till the evening. The first
part of the day being spent in teaching the catechumens, they were
then dismissed, and the church continued together in preaching and
praying, but especially in those laudatory, eucharistical offices,
which accompany the celebration of the sacrament of the body and blood
of Christ. They did not then (as gluttons do now) account it fasting
to forbear a dinner, when they supped, yea, feasted at night; it being
not usual among the Romans to eat any dinners at all. And they that
spent all the day together in public worship and communion, you may be
sure spent not part of it in dancing, nor stage-plays, nor worldly
businesses. 2. And church history giveth us but little account what
particular persons did in private, nor can it be expected. 3. Who hath
brought us any proof that ever the church approved of spending any
part of the day in sports, or idleness, or unnecessary, worldly
business? or that any churches (or persons regardable) did actually so
spend it? 4. Unless their proof be from those many canons of our own
and other churches, that command the holy observation of it, and
forbid these plays and labours on it; which I confess doth intimate,
that some there were that needed laws to restrain them from the
violation of it. 5. Again I say, that seeing few men will have the
face to say that plays and games, or idleness, are a duty on that day,
it will suffice a holy, thankful christian, if he have but leave to
spend all the day for the good of his soul and those about him; and if
he may be reading and meditating on the word of God, and praying and
praising him, and instructing his family, while others waste that time
in vanity; especially to servants and poor men, that have but little
other leisure all the year, to seek for knowledge, or use any such
helps for their salvation. As to a poor man that is kept hungry all
the week, a bare liberty of feasting with his landlord on the Lord's
day, would satisfy him without a law to constrain him to it; so is it
here with a hungry soul.
_Direct._ II. Remember that the work of the day is, in general, to
keep up knowledge and religion in the world, and to own and honour our
Creator, Redeemer, and Regenerator openly before all; and to have
communion with God through Christ in the Spirit, by receiving and
exercising his grace, in order to our communion with him in glory. Let
these therefore (well understood) be your ends, and in these be you
exercised all the day, and stick not hypocritically in bodily rest and
outward duties. Remember that it is a day for heart work, as well as
for the exercise of the tongue, and ear, and knees; and that your
principal business is with heaven; follow your hearts therefore all
the day, and see that they be not idle while your bodies are
exercised: nothing is done if the heart do nothing.
_Direct._ III. Remember that the special work of the day is to
celebrate the memorial of Christ's resurrection, and of the whole work
of man's redemption by him. Labour therefore with all diligence in the
sense of your natural sin and misery, to stir up the lively sense of
the wonderful love of God and our Redeemer, and to spend all the day
in the special exercises of faith and love. And seeing it is the
christian weekly festival, or day of thanksgiving for the greatest
mercy in the world, spend it as a day of thanksgiving should be spent,
especially in joyful praises of our Lord; and let the humbling and
instructing exercises of the day, be all subordinate to these
laudatory exercises. I know that much time must be spent in teaching
and warning the ignorant and ungodly, because their poverty and
labours hinder them from other such opportunities, and we must speak
to them then or not at all. But if it were not for their mere
necessity, and if we could as well speak to them other days of the
week, the churches should spend all the Lord's day in such praises and
thanksgivings as are suitable to the ends of the institution. But
seeing that cannot be expected, methinks it is desirable that the
ancient custom of the churches were more imitated, and the morning
sermon being suited to the state of the more ignorant and unconverted,
that the rest of the day were spent in the exercises of thanksgiving
to the joy and encouragement of believers, and in doctrine suited to
their state. And yet I must add, that a skilful preacher will do both
together, and so declare the love and grace of our Redeemer, as by a
meet application may both draw in the ungodly, and comfort those that
are already sanctified, and raise their hearts in praise to God.
_Direct._ IV. Remember that the Lord's day is appointed specially
for public worship and personal communion of the churches therein: see
therefore that you spend as much of the day as you can in this public
worship and church communion; especially in the celebration of that
sacrament which is appointed for the memorial of the death of Christ
until his coming, 1 Cor. xi. 25, 26. This sacrament in the primitive
church was celebrated every Lord's day; yea, and oftener, even
ordinarily on every other day of the week when the churches assembled
for communion. And it might be so now without any hinderance to
preaching or prayer, if all things were ordered as they should be; for
those prayers, and instructions, and exhortations which are most
suited to this eucharistical action, would be the most suitable
prayers and sermons for the church on the Lord's days. In the mean
time see that so much of the day as is spent in church communion and
public worship, be accordingly improved by you; and be not at that
time about your secret or family services, but take only those hours
for such private duties, in which the church is not assembled; and
remember how much the love of saints is to be exercised in this
communion, and therefore labour to keep alive that love, without which
no man can celebrate the Lord's day according to the end of the
institution.
_Direct._ V. Understand how great a mercy it is, that you have
leave thus to wait upon God for the receiving and exercise of grace,
and to cast off the distracting thoughts and businesses of the world,
and what an opportunity is put into your hand, to get more in one day,
than this world can afford you all your lives. And therefore come with
gladness as to the receiving of so great a mercy, and with desire
after it, and with hope to speed, and not with unwillingness, as to an
unpleasant task, as carnal hearts that love not God, or his grace or
service, and are weary of all they do, and glad when it is done, as
the ox that is unyoked. Isa. lviii. 13, 14, "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, then shalt thou delight
thyself in the Lord." The affection that you have to the Lord's day,
much showeth the temper of the heart: a holy person is glad when it
cometh, as loving it for the holy exercises of the day; a wicked,
carnal heart is glad of it only for his carnal ease, but weary of the
spiritual duties.
_Direct._ VI. Avoid both the extremes of profaneness and
superstition in the point of your external rest: and to that end
observe, 1. That the work is not for the day, but the day for the holy
work; as Christ saith, Mark ii. 27, "The sabbath was made for man, and
not man for the sabbath." It is appointed for our good, and not for
our hurt. 2. The outward rest is not appointed for itself, but as a
means to the freedom of the mind for inward and spiritual employments;
and therefore all those outward and common labours and discourses are
unlawful, which any way distract the mind, and hinder either our
outward or inward attendance upon God, and our edification. 3. And
(whatever it was to the Jews) no common words or actions are unlawful,
which are no hinderance to this communion and worship and spiritual
edification. 4. Yea, those things that are necessary to the support of
nature, and the saving of the life or health, or estate and goods of
ourselves or our neighbours, are needful duties on that day: not all
those works which are truly charitable, (for it may be a work of mercy
to build hospitals, or make garments for the poor, or till their
ground,) but such works of mercy as cannot be put off to another day,
and such as hinder not the duties of the day. 5. The same word or
action on the Lord's day which is unlawful to one man, may be lawful
to another; as being no hinderance, yea, a duty to him: as Christ
saith, "The priests in the temple break or profane the sabbath, (that
is, the outward rest, but not the command,) and are blameless," Matt.
xii. 15. And the cook may lawfully be employed in dressing meat, when
it were a sin in another to do it voluntarily without need. 6. The
Lord's day being to be kept as a day of thanksgiving, the dressing of
such meat as is fit for a day of thanksgiving is not to be scrupled:
the primitive christians in the apostles' time, had their love-feasts
constantly (with the Lord's supper or after) on the evening of the
day; and they could not feast without dressing meat. 7. Yet that which
is lawful in itself, must be so done as consisteth with care and
compassion of the souls of servants that are employed about it, that
they may be deprived of no more of their spiritual benefit than needs.
8. Also that which is lawful must sometimes be forborne, when it may
by scandal tempt others that are loose or weak to do that which is
unlawful: not that the mere displeasing of the erroneous should put us
out of the right way, but the scandal which is spoken against in
Scripture, is the laying a temptation before men that are weak to make
them sin. 9. Take heed of that hypocritical and censorious temper
which turneth the holy observation of the day into a ceremonious
abstinence from lawful things; and censureth those as ungodly that are
not of the same mind, and forbear not such things as well as they.
Mark the difference between Christ and the Pharisees in this point:
much of their contention with him was about the outward observation of
the sabbath; because his disciples rubbed out corn to eat on the
sabbath day, and because he healed on the sabbath, and bid the healed
man "take up his bed and walk:" and they said, "There are six days in
which men ought to work; they might come and be healed on them," Luke
vi. 1, 5, 6; xiii. 12, 14-16; John v. 17, 18; Mark i. 21, 24; ii.
23-28; iii. 2, 3, 5; vi. 2, 5; Luke xiv. 1, 3, 5, 6; John v. 9, 10, 16;
vii. 22-24; ix. 14, 16. And a man that is of their spirit will think
that the Pharisees were in the right. No doubt Christ might have
chosen another day to heal on; but he knew that the works which most
declared the power of God, and honoured him before all, and confirmed
the gospel, were fittest for the sabbath day. Take heed therefore of
the Pharisees' ceremoniousness and censoriousness. If you see a man
walking abroad on the Lord's day, censure him not till you know that
he doth it from profaneness or negligence: you know not but it may be
necessary to his health, and he may improve it in holy meditation? If
you hear some speak a word more than you think needful, of common
things, or do more about meat and clothing than you think meet,
censure them not till you hear their reason. A scrupulousness about
such outward observances, when the holy duties of the day are no whit
hindered by that thing; and a censoriousness towards those that are
not as scrupulous, is too pharisaical and ceremonious a religion for
spiritual, charitable christians. And the extremes of some godly
people in this kind, have occasioned the quakers and seekers to take
and use all days alike, and the profane to contemn the sanctifying of
the Lord's day.
_Tit. 2. More Particular Directions for the Order of Holy Duties._
_Direct._ I. Remember the Lord's day before it cometh, and
prepare for it, and prevent those disturbances that would hinder you,
and deprive you of the benefit. For preparation: 1. "Six days you must
labour, and do all that you have to do." Despatch all your business,
that you may not have it then to hinder and disturb you; and see that
your servants do the same. 2. Shake off the thoughts of worldly
things, and clear your minds of worldly delights and cares. 3. Call to
mind the doctrine taught you the last Lord's day, (and if you have
servants, cause them to remember it,) that you may be prepared to
receive the next. 4. Go seasonably to bed, that you and your servants
may not be constrained to lie long the next morning, or be sleepy on
the Lord's day. 5. Let your meditations be preparatory for the day.
Repent of the sins of the week past as particularly and seriously as
you can; and seek for pardon and peace through Christ, that you come
not with guilt or trouble upon your consciences before the Lord.
_Direct._ II. Let your first thoughts be not only holy, but
suitable to the occasions of the day. With gladness remember what a
day of mercies you awake to, and how early your Redeemer rose from the
dead that day, and what excellent work you are to be employed in.
_Direct._ III. Rise full as early that day as you do on other
days. Be not like the carnal generation, that sanctify the Lord's day
but as a swine doth, by sleeping, and idleness, and fulness. Think not
your worldly business more worthy of your early rising, than your
spiritual employment is.
_Direct._ IV. Let your dressing time be spent in some fruitful
meditation, or conference, or hearing some one read a chapter: and let
it not be long, to detain you from your duty.
_Direct._ V. If you can have leisure, go first to secret prayer:
and if you are servants, and have any necessary business to do,
despatch it quickly, that you may he free for better work.
_Direct._ VI. Let family worship come next, and not be slubbered
over slightly, but be serious and reverent, and suit all to the nature
or end of the day. Especially awaken yourselves and servants to
consider what you have to do in public, and to go with prepared,
sanctified hearts.
_Direct._ VII. Enter the holy assembly with reverence and joy, and
compose yourselves as those that come thither to treat with the living
God, about the matters of eternal life. And watch your hearts that
they wander not, nor sleep not, nor slight the sacred matters which
you are about. And guard your eyes, that they carry not away your
hearts; and let not your hearts be a moment idle, but seriously
employed all the time: and when hypocrites and distempered christians
are quarrelling with the imperfections of the speaker, or
congregation, or mode of worship, do you rather make it your diligent
endeavour, to watch your hearts, and improve what you hear.
_Direct._ VIII. As soon as you come home, while dinner is
preparing, it will be a seasonable time either for secret prayer or
meditation; to call over what you heard, and urge it on your hearts,
and beg God's help for the improvement of it, and pardon for your
public failings.
_Direct._ IX. Let your time at meat be spent in the cheerful
remembrance or mention of the love of your Redeemer; or somewhat
suitable to the company and the day.
_Direct._ X. After dinner call your families together, and sing a
psalm of praise, and by examination or repetition, or both, cause them
to remember what was publicly taught them.
_Direct._ XI. Then go again to the congregation (to the beginning) and
behave yourselves as before.
_Direct._ XII. When you come home call your families together, and
first crave God's assistance and acceptance; and then sing a psalm of
praise; and then repeat the sermon which you heard; or if there was
none, read one out of some lively, profitable book; and then pray and
praise God: and all with the holy seriousness and joy which is
suitable to the work and day.
_Direct._ XIII. Then while supper is preparing, betake yourselves
to secret prayer and meditation; either in your chambers or walking,
as you find most profitable: and let your servants have no more to
hinder them from the same privilege, than what is of necessity.
_Direct._ XIV. At supper spend the time as is aforesaid (at
dinner): always remembering that though it be a day of thanksgiving,
it is not a day of gluttony, and that you must not use too full a
diet, lest it make you heavy, and drowsy, and unfit for holy duty.
_Direct._ XV. After supper examine your children and servants
what they have learnt all day, and sing a psalm of praise, and
conclude with prayer and thanksgiving.
_Direct._ XVI. If there be time after, both you and they may in
secret review the duties, and mercies, and failings of the day, and
recommend yourselves by prayer into the hands of God for the night
following: and so betake yourselves to your rest.
_Direct._ XVII. And to shut up all, let your last thoughts be
holy, in the thankful sense of the mercy you have received, and the
goodness of God revealed by our Mediator, and comfortably trusting
your souls and bodies into his hands, and longing for your nearer
approach unto his glory, and the beholding and full enjoying of him
for ever.
I have briefly named this order of duties, for the memory of those
that have opportunity to observe it: but if any man's place and
condition deny him opportunity for some of these, he must do what he
can: but see, that carnal negligence cause not his omission. And now I
appeal to reason, conscience, and experience, whether this employment
be not more suitable to the principles, ends, and hopes of a
christian, than idleness, or vain talk, or cards, or dice, or
dancing, or ale-house haunting, or worldly business or discourse? And
whether this would not exceedingly conduce to the increase of
knowledge, holiness, and honesty? And whether there be ever a
worldling or voluptuous sensualist of them all, that had not rather be
found thus at death; or look back when time is past and gone, upon the
Lord's day thus spent, than as the idle, fleshly, and ungodly spend
them?
[43] Since the writing of this, I have published a Treatise of the
Lord's day.
[44] Mark xvi. 2, 9; Luke xxiv. 1.