: Having thus mentioned the Practice of CHRIST, it is not neceffary I fhould fay much of the Practice of his Apoftles, and the following purer Ages of Christianity, who,in fhort, as their Duty was, diligently followed their great Mafter's Example. They did not think it enough to Read, and Pray, and Praise God at home, but made confcience of appearing in the publick Affemblies: from which nothing but Sickness and abfolute Neceffity did detain them and if Sick, or in Prison, or under Banishment, nothing troubled them more, than that they could not come to Church, and joyn their Devotions to the common Services. If Perfecution at any time forced them to keep a little clife, yet no fooner was there the leaft Mitigation, but they prefently returned to their open Duty, and Publickly met all together, No trivial Pretences, no light Excufes were then admitted for any ones Abfence from the Congregation, but according to the merit of the Caufe, fevere Cenfures were paffed upon them, &c. to exprefs it in the Words of One of our beft Antiquaries. (4) The Publick Worship of GOD then, is not a Matter of Indifference, which Men have in their own Power to do, or omit, as they pleafe; neither is it enough to Read, Pray, or Praife God at home (unless fome inevitable neceffity hindereth) because the appearing in GOD's Houfe, on bis Day, is an Act of Homage and Fealty, due to the CREATOR, a Right of Sovereignty we pay him. And the with-holding thofe Rights and Dues from GOD, is a kind of rejecting GOD, a difowning his Sovereignty, and a withdrawing our Obedience and Service. And this was the very Reason why the Profanation of the Sabbath was (4) Dr. Cave's Prim, Chrift. Par. 1. c. 7. A was punished with Death among the Jews, the Sabbath being a Sign, or Badge of the GOD they Owned and Worfhipped. (5) Thus Exod. 31. 13. My Sabbaths ye shall keep ; for it is a SIGN between me and you, throughout your Generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD, that doth fanctify you or as the Original may be rendered; a Sign to acknowledge, that I Jehovah am your Sanctifier, or your God. For as our Learned Mede obferves, to be the Sanctifier of a People, and to be their God, is all one. So likewife very exprefly in Ezek. 20. 20. Hol (5) As at this Day it is cuftomary for Servants to wear the Livery of their Masters, and others to bear Badges of their Order, Profeffion, Servility, &c. So in former Ages, and divers Countries, it was ufual to bear Badges, Marks and Signs on divers Occafions. In Ezek. 9. 4. a Mark was to be fet on the Forehead of thofe that lamented the Abominations of the City. The like was to be done upon them in Rev. 7. 3. and 9. 4. So the Worshippers of the Beaft, Rev. 13. 16. were to receive a xapaya, a Mark in their right Hand, or their Foreheads. Thofe xaegyuera, Egegyides, Badges, &c. were very common. Soldiers and Slaves bare them in their Arms or Foreheads: fuch as were matriculated in' the Hateria, or Companies bare the Badge or Mark of their Company; and whoever lifted himself into the Society of any of the feveral Gods, received a degy, or a Mark in his Body (commonly made with red-hot Needles, or fome burning in the Flesh) of the God he had lifted himself un der. And after Chriftianity was planted, the Chriftians had alfo their Sign of the Crofs. And not only Marks in their Fleih, Badges on their Cloathes, &c. were ufual, but allo the Dedication of Days to their imaginary Deities. Not to fpeak of their Feftivals, &c, the Days of the Week were all dedicated to fome of their Deities. Among the Romans, Sunday and Monday, to the Sun and Moon; Tuesday to Mars, Wednesday to Mercury, &c. So our Saxon Ance, ftors did the fame; Sunday and Monday (as the Romans did) to the Sun and Moon; Tuesday to Tuyfco; Wednefday to Woden; Thurfday to Thor; Friday to Friga; and Saturday to Seater; an Account of which Deities, with the Figures under which they were Worshipped, may be met with in our Learned Verftegan. Ch. 3. p. 68, &c. Hollow my Sabbaths, and they shall be a Sign between the and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your GOD; or rather as before, to acknowledge that I JEHOVAH am your GOD. The Sabbath being thus a Sign, a Mark, or. Badge to acknowledge God to be their God, it follows, that a Neglect, or Contempt of that Day, redounded to GOD; to flight that, was flighting God; to profane that, was to affront God: for the Punishment of which, what more equitable Penalty than Death. And although under Chriftianity, the Punishment is not made Capital, yet have we no lefs Reason for the ftrict Obfervance of this holy Day, than the Jews, but Father greater Reafons. For the GOD we wotfhip, is the fame : if after fix Days Labour, he was by the Seventh owned to be GOD, the Creator; no lefs is he by our Chriftian Lord's Day: if by the Celebration of the Sabbath, the remembrance of their Deliverance from the Egyptian Bondage was kept up, and GOD ac knowledged to be the Effecter thereof; we Chriftians have a greater Deliverance, we own our Deliverance from Sin and Satan, wrought by a greater Redeemer than Mofes, even the bleffed JESUS, whofe Refurrection, and the Completion of our Redemption thereby, was performed on the Chriftian Lord's Day * And now to fum up, and conclude thefe Inferences, and fo put an end to this part of my Survey Since it appears, that the Works of the LORD are fo great, fo wifely contrived, fo accurately made, as to deferve to be enquired into; fince they are alfo fo manifeft Demonftrations of the Creator's Being and Attributes, that all the World is fenfible thereof, to the great Reproach of Atheifm: what remaineth, but that we Fear and Obey fo Great and Tremendous a |