near to eternity they stand, and awaken men's sleepy, sensual souls, to live as men that do not dream of another world, but unfeignedly believe it; and then a little reasoning would serve turn to convince them, that the Lord's-day should be spent in the duties of serious holiness, and not in idleness, or unnecessary works, or sports.

Object. But by all this you seem to cast a great reproach on Calvin, Beza, and most of the great divines of the foreign churches, who have not been so strict for the observation of the Lord's-day.'

Answ. Let these things be observed by the impartial reader: 1. It cannot be proved to be most of them, that were so faulty herein as the objection intimateth. 2. Many of them have written much for the holy spending of the day in spiritual exercises. 3. And you must remember that they came newly out of popery, and had seen the Lord'sday, and a superabundance of other human holy days imposed on the churches to be ceremoniously observed, and they did not all of them, so clearly as they ought, discern the difference between the Lord's-day and those holy days, or church-festivals, and so did too promiscuously conjoin them in their reproofs of the burdens imposed on the church. And it being the Papists' ceremoniousness, and their multitude of festivals that stood altogether in their eye, it tempted them to too undistinguishing and inaccurate a reformation. 4. And for Calvin you must know that he spent every day so like to a Lord's-day, in hard study, and prayer, and numerous writings, and public preaching, or lecturing and disputings, either every day in the week, or very near it, scarce allowing himself time for his one only spare meal a day, that he might the more easier be tempted, to make the less difference in his judgment between the Lord's-day and the other days, than he should have done, and to plead for more recreation on that day for others, than he took on any day himself. 5. And then his followers having also many of the same temptations, were apt to tread in his steps, through the deserved estimation of his worth and judgment, and lest they should seem to be of different minds. But as England hath been the happiest in this piece of reformation, so all men are inexcusable that encourage idleness, sensuality, or neglect of the important duties of the day.

CHAPTER XI.

What Things should not be scrupled as unlawful on the Lord's-day.

As I have told you the Lord's-day is not a Sabbath in the Jewish sense, or a day of ceremonial rest, but a day of worshipping our Creator and Redeemer with thankful commemorations and with holy joy, &c. And a day of vacancy from such earthly things as may be any hindrance to this holy work; so now I must resolve the question first in the general, that nothing lawful at another time, is unlawful on this day, which hath not the nature of an impediment to the holy duties of the day; unless it be accidentally on the account of scandal or ill example unto others, or disobeying the laws of magistrates, or crossing the concord of the churches, or such like. Therefore hence I deduce these particular resolutions following.

I. It is not unlawful to be at such bodily or mental labours as is needful to the spiritual duties of the day. If the "priests in the temple (saith Christ) did break the Sabbath and were blameless," (that is, not the command of God to them for keeping the Sabbath, but the external rest of the Sabbath, which was commanded to others, with an exception to their case,) we may well say that it is no sin for a minister now to spend his strength in laborious preaching and praying; or for the people to travel as far as is needful, to the church-assemblies: Nor do we need to tie ourselves to a Sabbath-day's journey, (that is, according to the scribes, 2000 cubits, which is 3000 feet, and ' ' quinque stadia):' It is lawful to go many miles when it is necessary to the work of the day.

II. It is not unlawful to be at the labour of dressing ourselves somewhat more ornately or comely than on another day. Because it is suitable to the rejoicing of a festival. But to waste time needlessly in curiosity, and proud attiring, to the hindrance of greater things, is detestable.

III. It is not unlawful to dress meat, even in some fuller and better manner than on other days; because it is a festival, or day of thanksgiving. And it is a vain self-contradiction of some men, who think that another day of thanks

giving is not well kept, if there be not two feasting meals at least, and yet think it unlawful to dress one on the Lord'sday but yet to make it a day of gluttony, or to waste more of the day in eating or dressing meat than is agreeable to the spiritual work of the day, which is our end; or to make ourselves sleepy by fulness; or to use our servants like beasts, to provide for our bellies, with the neglect of their own souls; or to pamper the flesh to the satisfaction and irritation of its lusts; all this is to be detested.

IV. It is not unlawful to do the necessary works of mercy to ourselves or others, to man or beast; those which must be done, and cannot be delayed without more hurt than the doing of them will procure (for that is the description of a necessary work). As to eat and drink and clothe ourselves, and our children; to carry meat to the poor that are in present necessity; to give or take physic; and to go for advice to the physician or surgeon: to travel upon a business of importance and necessity; to quench a fire; or prop a house that is about to fall; to march or fight in a necessary case of war; to sail or labour at sea in cases of necessity; to boat men over a river, that go to church; to pursue a robber, or defend him that is assaulted; to pull a man out of fire or water; to dress a man's sores, or give physic to the sick; to pull an ox or horse or other cattle out of a pit or water; to drive or lead them to water, and to give them meat; to save cattle, corn or hay, from the sudden inundations of the sea, or of rivers, or from floods; to drive cattle or swine out of the grounds where they break in to spoil; such necessary actions are not unlawful, but a duty; it being a moral or natural precept, which Christ twice bid the ceremonious Pharisees learn, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice."

And it is not only works of necessity to a man's life, that are here meant by necessary works; but such also as are necessary to a smaller and lower end or use.

And yet it is not all such necessity neither, that will allow us to do the thing. Otherwise a tradesman or ploughman might say that his labour is necessary to the getting or saving of this or that small commodity; I shall be a loser if I do not work. And on the other side, if it were only a necessity for life, limbs, or livelihood that would allow us labour, then it would be unlawful to dress meat, and to drive

cattle out of the corn, and many such things before-mentioned; and then it would be lawful to give meat only to oxen or horses of great price, and not to hens, ducks, geese, dogs and other animals of little value.

Therefore there is a great deal of prudent discretion necessary to the avoiding of extremes. God hath not enumerated all the particulars which are allowed or forbidden in their generals. What then shall we do? Shall we violate the outward rest of the day for the worth of a groat or two-pence, (as the feeding of hens or such-like may be?) Or shall we suffer the loss of many pounds rather than stir to save them? As for instance, is it lawful to open, or turn, or carry in corn or hay, which in all probability (though not certainly) is like to be lost or very much spoiled, if it be let alone till the next day? The corn or hay may be of many pounds value, when the feeding of swine, or hens, may be little: the corn or hay is like to be lost; when the swine, or hens, or horses, or oxen, may easily recover the hunger or abstinence of a day? What must be done in such cases as these?

I answer, 1. It is necessary to know that where God hath not made particular determinations, yet general laws do still oblige us.

2. And that Christian prudence is necessary to the right discerning how far our actions fall under those general laws of God.

3. That he that will discern these things must be a man that truly understandeth, valueth and loveth the true ends and work of the Lord's-day, and not a man that hateth it, or careth not for it; and a man that hath a right estimation also of those outward things, which stand in question to be meddled with. And he must be one that hath no superstitious Jewish conceits of the external rest of the day: and he must be one that looketh, not only to one thing or a few, but to all things, how numerous soever, which the determination of his case dependeth on.

4. And because very few are such, it is needful that those few that are such, be casuists and advisers to the rest, and that the more ignorant consult with them (especially if they be their proper pastors) as they do with physicians and lawyers for their health and their estates.

5. It must be known that ofttimes the laws of the land do.

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