Divine EXAMPLES of GOD'S SEVERE JUDGMENTS UPON SABBATH-BREAKERS, In their unlavvful Sports, Collected out of several Divine Subiects, VIZ. Mr. H. B. Mr. Beard, and the Practice of Piety: A fit Monument for our present Times, &c.
Severall Young men playing at foote-ball on the Jce upon the LORDS-DAY are all Drownd
A Woman and her two Daughters pill and dry flax on the Lords day, are all burnt
A Millers House and Mill Bur [...] etc.
Differences of the Jewish from the Chr [...]stian state.
The Jewish Sabbath was kept in remembrance of the Worlds Creation. The Christian's Sabbath is kept in remembrance of the Worlds Redemption. The Jews as a Figure of Grace that they should rest from servitude of sin. The Christians as a Figure of Glory when they shall rest from occasions of sinning. The Jews had bodily Sacrifices of Beasts; We Christians of Prayer. They the Levitical Priesthood of the Law; We Christian Ministery of the Gospel. They Temples and Synagogues; We Christian Churches. They S [...]craments of Circumcision, Passover; We of Baptism and the Lords Supper.
N [...]w to keep holy a Sabbath to the Lord is to celebrate an Holy rest unto God, not only to abstain from all labour of the body, but also practising all Godly Exercises, as Prayer, hearing the Word, receiving the Sacraments, &c.
And to prophane this day is to labour in servile Works of our ordinary calling, to travel about ordinary business, to keep Fairs and Markets on this day, or to use sports and recreations, or any thing else more than things of necessity.
Scriptural Examples of suddain Judgments for several sins.
When Belshazar was Feasting with his Nobles, the Fearful hand writing was upon the wall. While Herod vanted himself, and the people honoured him like God, the Angel smote him, and he dyed of Worms. W [...]ile the Philistines were banqueting, Sampson pull d the Temple upon their Heads. When the men of Ziglah were Feasting and Dancing, David came upon them and slew them. When the Israelites were at their Manna and Quails, even while the meat was in their mouths, God took away their Lives. When Job's Children were making merry one with an other, the Wind came and blew down the House. While the whole World was marrying and giving in marriage, the Flood came and drowned them. While the Steward was recounting what pollicy to use, the Mas [...]er called him to account. While the Churl was musing of his full Barns, and saying to his soul be merry, that night his soul was taken from him.
Abel s blood suddainly cries for vengeance.
Jeroboam was stricken while he struck.
Baalam was stopt in the way. Judas presently hang'd himself. Herod, Saul, Athaliah, and Jezabel, had their offices taken from them for sin. Remember Lot's Wife. Haman hanging upon his own Gallows, and Achan's sepulchre.
Sins against mercy bring the severest Judgments, Read Leviticus 26, from ver. 14, to 40.
Israel the miracle of mercy, that grew from 70. souls in a few years to six hundred thousand, the more oppressed the more they prospered, like Camomile or the Palm-tree, but when they abused Mercy and slighted Sabbaths, they became the greatest Objects of Wrath. There died partly by the Sword, and partly of Famine, Eleven hundred thousand of the poorer sort. Two thousand in one night were Imbowelled, six thousand were burned in a Porch of the Temple, the whole City was sackt and burnt, and ninety seven thousand taken Captives. And to this day are they not the off-scouring of the World?
Examples.
1. A Woman near Northampton, the same day the Book for sports was read, upon that Sabbath day having but three pence in her purse, hired a Fellow to fetch a Minstril, who coming, she with others fell to Dance, and so continued within night, and the same night was got with Child, which at the Birth she murthered, and being detected and apprehended, she before the Justice confest it, and withall told the occasion, saying it was her falling to sports on the Sabbath upon reading the Book for sports had brought her to this end, for which unnatural fact she was put to death.
2. At Northampton a young man that was at first of a loose kind of life, but after by the example of other good people had begun to reform his loose life in the Observation of the Sabbath, but hearing the Book of sports he fell again to prophane the Sabbath: at an Assizes there when the Judges were in the Church being taken as he was picking a Pocket, he confest that upon the publishing the said Book of sports he was encouraged to wickedness, and for this suffered death.
3. A Maid at Enfield near London hearing of the Liberty given by this Book, said, she would dance, and on the Sabbath day danced so long that within two or three days she dyed.
4. Upon May day, being the Lords day, a Maid of the Minister of Cripple Gate Parish London, was Married to a Widdower having three Children, and upon this day they kept their Marriage Feast in the Church-house joyning to the Church, and spent all the Afternoon in Dancing; but in one Week after, the Plague began in that Parish in the new Married mans House, and within one Month the Man, his Wife, and two Children dyed; thus the Plague began in that Parish.
5. In the same Month a Minister Rector of a Church in London, upon the Saturday would go with two Neighbours, boon Companions, to be Jovial the next day; they conditioned he should bestow a Sermon upon them; they on the Lords day spent the Forenoon idly, and in the Afternoon this Minister with his Neighbours visited a London Minister that had a Benefice there, for whom he Preacht. Sermon being ended they are invited to the Ministers House to a Bottle of Sack; they drank so long that the two Neighbours tongues began to fail them. That night their Minister could not sleep and was struck with a suddain coldness, and with much ado being returned to London, he dyed before the next Lords day.
6. On Jan. 25. 1 [...]34. being the Lords day in the time of the great Frost, fourteen young men presuming to play at Foot-ball upon the Ice on the River Trent near to Gainsborough were all drowned.
7. At Dover the same Lord's day the Book was read, one in St. Jame s Parish that played on a Kit, with it called together divers, and that very day was struck by Divine hand, and within two days dyed.
8. At T [...]urlow in Suffolk, one made a Feast on the Sabbath day to his Friends for joy of the publishing this Book of sports on the Lord's day, and the next day was prest to death by the suddain fall of a stack of Faggots.
9. At Hellingsby in Sussex this Book being read on the Lord's day, the next day an honest man, one Tomkins being on his way, his Neighbour scoffingly a [...]kt him if he would dance with him the next Sunday, to whom Tomkins answered, take heed thou be not dancing in Hell before that day, or before it be long and by the next Week this scoffer and two of his Family dyed.
10. Febru. 9. 1634. being upon the Lord's day, an Apothecaries man in Lime-street London, w [...]th another Companion rid to Barnet to make merry, and returning home drunk, near High-Gate met a Tinker, to whom offering abu [...]e the Tinker strikes his Hor [...]e, the other bids run him through, which he did with his Rapier, the Tinker fell down dead, and both were apprehended and sent to Newgate.
11. At Thornton near W [...]stchester at the publishing this Book, [...]hey prepared for a Summer-ale upon the Sabbath day, and a lusty young Wench was chosen Purveyor for Cakes, and going on the Saturday to the Mill passing by a Hedge in the way she was immediately struck and fell into the Ditch, where she was found dead; there lay all the Lord's day, the Coroner being sent for on the Munday she was carried to her Grave. And the effect wrought so upon the people, that no Summer-Ale was kept; but the May-pole which before they had set up they took down.
12. In Yorkeshire at a Wake on the Lord's day, in Otley Parish at Baildon, two men sitting at drink in the Night fell out, and being parted, the one a little after finding his fellow sitting by the fire with his back towards him, comes behind him with a Hatchet, Chines him down the back, so as his Bowels fell out: the Murtherer being pursued leapt into a River and drowned h [...]mself.
13. One Wright at Kingston that re [...]oyced much at the suspending of his Minister, for not reading the Book of sports, saying he hoped shortly to see them all so served: was in a day or two after struck with a dead Palsie all over the one side, and with Blindness and Dumbness, that he could neither go, nor see, nor speak and so lay a Fortnight and then dyed.
14. In Moor-fields near London, divers Youths playing at Cat on the Sabbath day, two of them fell out, and the one hitting the other under the Ear with his Cat he fell down for dead in the place, the other was sent to Prison; but the dead after a time recovering, the Prisoner was releast, which may be a warning to Youths prophaneness.
15. April the 18. 1635. one travelling with three other from London to Mayden Head on the Saturday, the three spent the Sabbath there, but he would travel on his way contrary to the La [...]ies direction whom he served; he rode to Henley in the Morning and there heard the Sermon and fell to Travel in the Afternoon; but in the way leading his Horse gently down a plain discent and even way, his Horse suddainly fell and broke both his fore leggs; the man was amazed at the immediate hand of God as he after confest to his three fellow Travellers that overtook him, and said all the good Sermons that ever he had heard did never so work upon his Conscience as this thing did, and that example should for ever be a warning to him.
16. In 1634 one Edward A [...]rideth, a Gentleman, having been pained in his feet, and being upon his recovery, whereupon one said to him he was glad to see him so nimble; Amerideth replied, that he doubted not but to dance about the Maypole the next Sabbath day: but before he moved ou [...] of that place he was suddainly struck with a feebleness and dizyness in his head, that be [...]ng carried to an House he dyed before the Lord's day came.
17. In Gloc [...]st [...]shire one being very forward to advance a summer meeting wherein his Son was to be stickler, went himself to see it and there beholding it he fell down dead and never saw an [...]t [...]er Sabbath.
18. A Miller at Churchdown, near Glocester, would needs (contrary to the admonitions both of his Minister in private, and generally in publick, yea and that very day, and of other Christian friends) keep a solemn Whitson ale, for which he had made large preparation and provision even of threescore dozen of Cheese-cakes with other things proportionable; in the Church house half a mile from his Mill, his Musical Instruments were set forth on the side of t [...]e Church house, where the Mini [...]er and people were to pass to the Church to Evening Prayer, when that and Sermon were ended, the Drum is struck up, the Peeces discharged, the Musitians play, and the rout fall a dancing, till the Evening; where they all with the Miller resort to his Mill; where that Evening before they had supt, about nine of the Clock on Whitsunday, a fire took suddainly in his House over their heads, and was so brief and quick, that it burnt down his House and Mill, and devoured withall the greatest of all his other Provision and Housholdstuff. This is confirmed by sundry good Testimonies.
19. At Baunton in Dorcetshire some being at Bowls on the Lord's day, one flinging his Bowl at his Fellow Bowler, hit him on the Fare, so as the blood issued forth at the other Eare, whereof he shortly died. The Murtherer fled.
20. One good-man Paul near Stoke in Dorcetshire, rejoycing much at the erecting of a Summer-pole, at a Parish called Simsbury in [...]orcetshire, and saying before one of his Neighbours, he would go see it, though he went naked through a Qu [...]ckset Hedg: which is a common Proverb they use: Going w [...]th Wood in his Arms to cast into the Bonfire, where he lived, and using these words: Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory, O Lord: he was presently smitten by the stroke of God, and within two or three daies died, and his Wife with him. These two last examples are testified by a Minister in his Letter to a Brother Minister.
21. In the edge of Essex near Brinkley, two Fellows working in a Chalk pit, the one was boasting to his fellow, how he had angred his Mistress with staying so late at their Sports t [...]e last Sunday night, but he said he would anger her wor [...]e the next Sunday. He had no sooner said this, but suddainly the Earth fell down upon him, and slew him out right, with the fall whereof his fellows limb was broken, who had been also Partner with him in his jollity on the Lord's day, escaping with his life, that he might tell the truth, that God might be glorified, and that by this warning he might repent of his sin, and reform such his prophaneness, and remain a Filler of Salt, to season others with fear by his Example.
22. The last Spring a Miller hard by W [...]otten in Warwickshire, went on the Lord's day to a Wake, whence returning home again, the same day at night found his Mill and House and all on a fire; this was testified by a Minister (in a reply to another Minister) who was an Eye witness.
23. At Woolston in the same Country, where the said Ministers Father had been Minister forty years, and by God's blessing upon his Labours, had reformed things very well; yet upon the publication of this Book in print, many of the Inhabitants the Spring following, were imboldned to set up May poles, Morrice Dance, and a Whitson ale, continuing their rude revelling a Week together, with many affronts to their antient and reverend Pastour: but it pleased God, that not long after, a spark from a Smith's shop, caught in that room where the Ale was brewed, and though means were ready at hand, yet it could not be quenched, but set the House on fire, and presently flew to the Barn, in which their disorder was, and burnt the same with thirteen Dwelling Houses more, most of whose Inhabitants were Actors or Abettors in the same: This is testified by many.
24. In the year of our Lord 1633. Octob. 26. after the Book of sports was known to be published in print, David Price, a Welshman, servant to one Thomas Hill, a known Grasier of that Country, coming to Banbury with his Drove on Saturday night, declared his purpose of driving them the next day early in the Morning, being the Sabbath or Lord's day: his Host where he lodged, disswaded him, because it was the Sabbath day, and told him that he would certainly be stopped, and made to pay for it according to the Statute. He answered that he would drive them, and let me see (saith he) who will hinder me. So in the Morning, two other accompanying him, he went to fetch the Cattle out of the Ground, one that knew him, met him at the Towns end (not yet out of the Town) and adm [...]ni [...]ed [...]im, saying, What, David, to day; he made no answer, but went onward, and though for any thing that appeared to any other, or that himself complained of, he was then [...]n good health, as ever he was, yet within l [...]ttle more than a stones cast off the Town, he fell down dead suddainly, and was buried in Banbury Churchyard the next day after; None could discern any sensible or evident cause of so suddain a surprizal, and himself gave no sign of any pains, weakness, or illness, till the instant time he gave up the ghost.
25. At Wicks, a Town betwixt Colchester and Harwich in Essex, upon Whitsunday last in the Afternoon, two Fellows meeting at the football, the one killed the other.
26. At Oxford on the Sabbath day, one Bally Hawks a Butcher, would needs go into his field with an hatchet and shovel to mend his ditch: his Wife disswaded him what she could, being the Sabbath day, but he said he would go make an end of his work, which he did, for suddainly he was struck dead in his ditch, and so made an end of his work, and his life together.
27. Also at Oxford a Carpenter undertaking to mend a Stage in St. John's College on the Saturday night, for the finishing whereof he must of necessity spend some part of the Lord's day morning, that the Stage might be ready against the Munday following, he that night fell backward from the Stage, being not far from the ground, and brake his neck, and so ended his life in a fearful Tragedy.
28. A young man near Bow, going to swim in the River on Essex side, on the Lord's day in the Afternoon, was drowned.
29. Two boys of St. Albans, going to Verulam's Pounds, a mile off to swim on the Lord's day, July 12. one of them was drowned, and the other hardly escaped.
30. At Ramsey in Suffolk, a tall man on the Lord's day going with others to swim, and being advertised and warned of a hole in the water, he sware that there was no place there could drown him, but by and by on a suddain he was missing, being now under water and so drowned.
3 [...]. On Septemb. 13. 1635. being the Lord's day, two young men of the Parish of St. Dunstans in the West, London, going to swim, were both drowned.
32. At Lemster, one Master Powle, January 1634. on the Lord's day serving a Writ of sub poena (and that of purpose on that day as is credibly reported) upon one Mr. Shuit, a Gentleman, this he did in the Church yard, so soon as they were come out of the Church: Mr. Shuit thereupon told him, I thought you had been an holier man than so, to do this upon this day; he replied, I hope I am never a whit the more dishonest, or less holy for that; having spoken this, he suddainly fell down dead, and spake not a word more, his Wife seeing this was suddainly struck with sickness.
33. A Fellow in Summersetshire being to make a Tent upon the Lord's day, for a Fair that was to be kept upon the Munday following, said to one on the Saturday, that they would rear it to morrow, so the next day which was the Lord's day, being drunk, he d [...]ed the same day roaring.
34. In June 1635. on the Lord s day, the Tapster and Chamberlain of the Queens head in Southwark, rid into Kent to be merry: and having drunk liberally, riding homewards, the one of them fell from his Horse and broke his neck.
35. Also in June 1635. and as some report the very same Lords day, in Southwark, at the Red Lion, near St. George's Church in the Afternoon, a man with another sate drinking so long, that the other about six of the Clock departing, fell a sleep so, that he never awaked again.
These Examples were Collected from Beard's Theater of God's Judgments, and the Practise of Piety.
36. A Noble man in France, that used to go a hunting on the Sabbath day; his Wife brought forth a Child with a Dogs head.
37. At Kinstat in France, a covetous Woman used on the Sabbath day to dry and pill Flax, and would not be warned although her Flax took fire two several Lord's days, but on the third Sabbath, she and her two Children were burnt to death.
38. Some in France at their Husbandry upon the Sabbath, have been struck with Thunder, some had their Bodies and Bones burnt with visible fire, and consumed to ashes; Scaffold at Playes on the Sabbath day have fallen, and many have been wounded; some killed out right
39. In 1583. at Paris Garden, upon the Sabbath day, a great Company were gathered to behold a sort of Bear baiting, the Scaffold suddainly brake, and Eight were slain out-right; and many more wounded.
40. A Husbandman grinding Corn upon the Lord's day, had his Meal burnt to Ashes.
41. Another carrying Corn on this day, had his Barn and all his Corn therein burnt with fire from Heaven.
42. Stratford upon Avon, was twice on the same day twelve month (being the Lord's day) almost consumed with fire chiefly for prophaning that day.
43. The Inhabitants of Tiverton in Devonshire, were great prophaners of this day, of which their godly Minister did oft admonish them; and not long after his death, on the [...]hird of April 1598. By a suddain fire, the whole Town was almost consumed, to the number of 400. Houses, and 50. Persons in the Flames.
44. And once since in 1612. the same Town was almost consumed again; a sure token of God's anger.
Royal King Solomon hath a true saying, that Judgments are prepared for scorners, Prov. 19.29. And in this short view you may behold Judgments executed.
The Lord hath made his day known by his Judgments, Numb. 15. 32. &c. To teach the Inhabitants of the World righteousness, Isa. 26.9.
These Tragical spectacles of divine Justice proclame the prophanation of the Lord's most sacred day, a crying sin. Which hath been confirmed by the whole State in Parliament in two famous Statutes in the First of Carol. and in the Third of Carol. and two Antient Acts in Hen. and Edw 6.
T [...]e Homilies, Common-prayer-book, Canons, Articles, and Injunctions conclude the same.
Our late Sovereigns of blessed memory King James and King Charles in the first year of both their Reigns in the several books of Common-prayer, and order for the publ ck Feasts set out by their Royal Authorities for the aversion and ceasing of those dreadful Plagues which then swallowed up many thousands, Confess that among other sins, the prophanation of the Sabbath, and not keeping holy the Lord's day, was one chief cause why these two great Plagues brake in upon us.
God grant that these punishments of some may be a warning to us all, and as Cyprian that Antient Father well saith, he is over audacious, who strives to pass over there where he hath seen another to have faln; he is outragiously head-strong who is not struck with fear, when he beho [...]ds another perish in that course which he is running; he loves his own safety, who takes warning by the death of others; and he alone is a prudent man who is made wise by the Ruins of other men.
May these Judgments on some, become Remed [...]es to cure all, who are sick of the self same sin. Which is the end of the Publisher.