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interpose in such cases; and if they do determine so strictly, as to forbid that which else would to some be lawful, they must be obeyed; because bad men cannot be kept from doing ill by excesses, unless some good men be hindered by the same laws from some things that are to them indifferent, nay, possibly, eligible, if there were no such law.

6. And accordingly the case of scandal or temptation to others, that will turn our example to their sin, must be considered in our practice. Yea, it is not only things merely indifferent that we must deny our liberty in, to prevent another's fall, but ofttimes that which would else be a duty may become a sin, when it will scandalize another, or tempt him to a far greater and more dangerous sin. As it may be my duty to speak some word, or do some action, as most useful and beneficial, when there is nothing against it; and yet if I may foresee that another will turn that speech or action to his ruin, to the hatred of piety, or to take occasion from it to exercise cruelty upon other Christians, &c. it may become my heinous sin. So it must here be considered, who will know of the action which you do ; and what use they are like to make of it?

7. And a little public hurt must be more regarded, than more private benefit; and the hurt of man's soul cannot be countervailed by your corporal commodities.

8. These things being premised, I suppose that the great rule to guide you in such undetermined circumstances is the interest of the end; all things must be done to the glory of God, and to edification. A truly impartial, prudent man can discern by comparing all the circumstances, whether his action (as if it were carrying endangered corn) were likely to do more good or harm. On one side you must put in the balance the value of the thing to be saved; your own necessity of it; the poor's necessity of it; and Christ's command, "Gather up the fragments that nothing be lost:" On the other side, you must consider, how far it will hinder your spiritual benefit and duty; and how far the example may be like to encourage such as will do such things without just cause; and so try which is the way of God's honour and your own and your neighbour's good; and that is the way which you must take (as in the disciple's rubbing the ears of corn, &c.); for the rule is, that your labour is then lawful and a duty, when in the judgment of a truly ju

dicious person, it is like to do more good than hurt; and it is then sinful, when it is like to do more hurt than good. Though all cannot discern this, yet (as far as I know) this is the true rule, to judge such actions. As for them that suppose our Lord's-day to be under the laws of rest with the Jewish Sabbath, and so think that they have a readier way to decide these doubts, I will not contend with them, but I have told you why I am not of their mind.

V. From hence I further conclude, that whereas there are such actions which bring some little benefit, but yet are no apparent hindrances of any of the work of the day, it seemeth to me too much ceremoniousness, and too ungospel-like, to trouble our own or other men's consciences, by concluding such things to be unlawful. If one have a word to speak of some considerable worldly business, which may be forgotten if it be not presently spoken; or if I meet one with whom I must speak the next day about some worldly business, and if I then wish him to come speak with me, I must send a great way to him afterwards, I will not say that it is a sin to speak such a word. I will first look at a man's positive duties on the Lord's-day, how he heareth, and readeth, and prayeth, and spendeth his time, and how he instructeth and helpeth his family; and if he be diligent in seeking God, (Heb. xi. 6,) and ply his heavenly business, I shall be very backward to judge him for a word or action about worldly things that falls in on the by, without any: hindrance to his spiritual work. And if another speak not a word of any common thing, and yet do little in spiritual things, for his own or other's edification, I shall think him a great abuser or neglecter of the Lord's-day. A few words about a common thing that falleth in the way, may be spoken without any hindrance of any holy duty: but still we must see that it be not a scandalous temptation to others. If I see a man that unexpectedly findeth some uncomely hole or rent in his clothes, either pin it up or sew it up, before he goeth abroad, I will not blame him: but if he do it so as to embolden another who useth needlessly to mend his clothes on the Lord's-day, it will be a sin of scandal. If I see one cut some indecent straggling hairs before he go forth, I will not blame him; but if he do it before one who will be encouraged by it to be barbered needlessly on that day, he will offend. And so in other cases.

VI. By these same rules also we may judge of recreations on the Lord's-day. The recreations of the mind must be the various holy employments of the day. No bodily recreations are lawful which needlessly waste time, or hinder our duty, or divert our minds from holy things, or are a snare to others. Unless it be some weak persons whose health requireth bodily motion, few persons need any other than holy recreations on that day. I know no one man that so much needeth it as myself, who these twenty years cannot digest one day's meat, unless I walk, or run, or exercise my body before it, till I am hot, or sweat; and therefore necessity requireth me to walk or fast; but I do it privately on that day, lest I tempt others to sin. But I will not censure one whom I see walking at fit hours, when for ought I know he may be taken up in some fruitful meditation. But if persons will walk in the streets or fields in idleness, or for vain delight, or discourse, as if the day were too long for them, and they had no business to do for their souls, this is not only a sin, but a very ill sign of one that is senseless of his soul's necessity and his duty.

VII. To read history, philosophy, or common things, unnecessarily on the Lord's-day, is a sinful diversion from the more spiritual work of it; and unsuitable to the appointed uses of the day (much more romances, play-books, or idle stories): yea, or those parts of divinity itself, which are less practical and useful to the raising of thankful and heavenly affections. But yet sometimes such other matter may fall in, at a sermon, or conference, or in meditation, which will require a present satisfaction in some point of history, philosophy, or controversial divinity, which may be subserviently used to edification, without sin. Here therefore we must judge prudently.

VIII. A thing that may be lawful singly in itself, unless it be of great necessity is unlawful when he that serveth us in it is drawn or encouraged to make a trade of it. As to use a barber to cut your hair; or a tailor to mend your clothes, or a cobler to mend your shoes. Because if you may use him, so may others as well as you, and so he will follow his calling on the Lord's day. And yet I dare not say, if when you are to travel to church, you find your shoes or boots by breaking something, to make you incapable of going out, but you may get them mended privately, where

it may be done without this inconvenience. And though cooks and barbers should not be unnecessarily used in their trade, yet it is not always unlawful, but sometimes very well. Because as one servant in the kitchen may be used to dress meat for all the family, so one baker or cook may serve many families, and save ten times as many persons the labour which else they must be at; and perhaps with easier and quicker dispatch than others. The trade of the apothecary, surgeon, and physician, is ordinarily used, but for necessity.

IX. There is no sufficient avoidance of such abuses, but by careful foresight, and prevention, and preparation the week before; which therefore must be conscionably done.

CHAPTER XII.

Of what Importance the due Observation of the Lord's-day is.

THE singular benefits of keeping the Lord's-day aright, should make all that love God, or holiness, or the church, or their own or other men's souls, take heed how they grow into a neglect of it: much more that they plead not for such negligence or abuse.

I. The due observation of the Lord's-day is needful to keep up the solemn worship of God, and public owning and honouring him in the world: If all men were left to themselves, what time they should bestow in the worshipping of God, the greatest part would cast off all, and grow into atheism or utter profaneness; and the rest would grow into confusion. And if all princes and rulers, or churches in the world were left to their own wills, to appoint the people on what days to meet, some kingdoms and churches would have one day in eight, or nine, or ten, or twenty, and some only now and then an hour, and some one day, and some another, and some next to none at all. For there is no one universal monarch on earth to make laws for them all (whatever the pope or his nominal general councils may pretend to): and they would never all come to any reasonable agreement voluntarily among themselves. Therefore the light of nature telleth us, that as a day is meet and needful to be stated; so it is meet that God himself, the true Universal Monarch, should determine of it; which accordingly he hath done.

And this is the very hedge and defensative of God's public worship. When he hath made a law that one whole day in seven shall be spent in it, men are engaged to attend it.

O what a happy acknowledgment of God and our Creator and Redeemer is it, and an honouring of his blessed name, when all the churches throughout all the world are at once praising the same God, with the same praises, and hearing and learning the same Gospel, and professing the same faith, and thankfully commemorating the same benefits: the church is then indeed, like an army with banners. And were it not for this day's observation, alas! how different would the case be! And what greater thing can man be bound to, than thus to keep up the solemn acknowledgment and worship of God and our Redeemer in the world?

II. The due sanctification of the Lord's-day, doth tend to make religion universal, as to countries and individual persons, which else would be of narrower extent. When all the world are under a divine obligation, to spend one day every week in the exercises of religion, (and superiors see to the performance of their subject's obedience to this law,) it will make men to be in some sort religious whether they will or not though they cannot be truly religious against their will, it will make them visibly religious. Yea, God's own law, if man's did nothing, would lay an awe on the consciences of most, who believe that there is a God that made that law. And the weekly assemblies keep up the knowledge and profession of the Christian faith, and keep God and heaven in the people's remembrance, and keep sin under constant rebukes and disgrace. And were it not for this, heathenism, infidelty and profaneness would quickly overspread the world. The Lord's-day keepeth up the Christian religion in the world.

III. The lamentable ignorance of the generality in the world, doth require the strict and diligent observation of the whole Lord's-day. Children and servants, and ordinary country people, yea and too many of higher quality, are so exceeding ignorant of the things of God and their salvation, that all the constant diligence that can be used with them, in preaching, exhorting, catechising, &c. will not overcome it with the most. The most diligent masters of families lament it, how ignorant their families are when they have done the best they can. Let those that plead for dancing and

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