the same Augustin averres Chrysostom assures us That the words of Ipse de cantatorum psalmorum Davidicorum verba inter canendum prolata recenset Chrysost Homil. de verbis Isai 1. lib. 5. Davids Psalms were the constant matter which was sung that which did feed the voyce and the rejoycing of Christians in his time Thus singing of Psalms was the usual and commendable practice of the golden times of the Church And sing to the Lord Psalm 47. 6. must be the command which must lead us up and down a Sabbath and especially put an Higgaion Selah upon the close of it Now for our more comfortable management of this heavenly service and spiritual recreation we must consider Singing of Psalmes hath excellent Presidents That service is much sweetned which is exemplified by the best Patterns We have the best of Persons going before us in this Job 38. 7. way of holy delight The Morning stars of the Church have sung together Heb. 2. 10. 1. Christ himself the Captain of our sanctification as well as our salvation hath gone before us in this holy practice he sang a Hymn with his Apostles Mat. 26. 30. He sang with the Apostles to shew us that Psalms are calculated not onely for the publick Congregations but private Families He sang not with the multitude but with the Disciples And Christ sang in the Evening to evidence that the Evening of his own day is the most fit season for this heavenly duty And he sang immediatly before he suffered Hymni sunt laudes dei cum cantico Et si sit laus non dei non est hymnus si sit laus dei et non cantetur non est hymnus Oportet ergo ut sit hymnus habeat haec tria et laudem et dei et canticum August Psalmi Davidici sunt sacri hymni Philo. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Archimusico vincenti praecentori cui cura est de re musicà instatque ut ad debitum finem perducatur Prefecto cantorum Occurrit in Psalmis 35 vicibus Bithn to seal this Ordinance with his blood And if it be Queried what Hymn Christ sang Learned Expositors are various in their opinions and shoot so much at Rovers that I shall not stay to take up their arrows But it is not without remark that Augustin gives us the full and rare description of an Hymn which may help us in this case Hymns saith he are the praises of God set forth in singing If it be praise and not of God it is no hymn And if it be praise of God and these praises are not sung it is not an Hymn And therefore if it be an Hymn it must have these three things It must be praise the praise of God and that with a song Christ then was versed in this holy practice and so the Holy Ghost pens a Psalm for the Sabbath viz. the 92 Psalm that as there is the Lords Prayer to guide us in that holy duty so there i◠the Lords Psalm too to excite and stir us up in this feraphical Service 2. Godly Princes have glorified God in this duty 2 Chro. 29. 30. David composes Psalmes and Hezekiah commands them to be sung The chief Magistrate joynes with the chief Musician And he that takes the Scepter in his hand to govern the people he likewise takes the Harp in his hand to sing the praises of the Lord Psalm 98. 5. David and Asaph Hezekiah and the Levites all joyn to sing forth the praises of God There was among the Jews a Prefect of songs as well as a Governour of the People 3. The Holy Apostles those bright luminaries of the Church they have made this musick in their Sphears Acts 16. 25. Paul and Silas sang praises to God in their Exod. 15. 1. darkest Dungeon though their feet were their tongues were not in the stocks 4. Eminent Fathers Some have been cited already to give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Quest 117. ad Orthodoxos in their testimony to the praise and practice of this duty I will onely superadd one more One most worthy among the worthiest famous Basil who thus discants upon singing of Psalmes Look whatever is profitably dispersed throughout the whole Scriptures the same is gathered together Est Psalmus animarum tranquillitas Pacis Arbiter optimarum disciplinarum promptuarium Psalmus turbas et fluctus cogitationum compescit iracundiam mollit est elementum incipientibus incrementum proficientibus c. Basil in the Book of the Psalmes and therefore this Book of Psalmes was preserved that those who are Children in years or altogether young in manners might in shew sing in meeter but in truth might instruct their own souls the instructions of the Psalmes being sung both at home and abroad A Psalm brings quietness to the mind is a peace-maker repressing the perturbations and passions of the mind it doth mollifie anger and procure love and friendship among men suggesting unto the mind a certain concord and a common bond to unite men together and compelling men to the harmony of one Quire A Psalm is instruction to the ignorant an increase to them that profit and one voice of the whole Church This doth beautifie solemnities and causes Godly sorrow for Psalms do pull tears out of the most stony hearts Thus far the Renowned Father launches forth in the praise of Psalmes Ho◠institutum in hodierum diem retentum Aug. Confes that spiritual incense as he is pleased to call them And from the Primitive Church this heavenly service hath been propagated down to our very times This duty like the Sun which runs through the several signs of the Zodiack hath passed the tempers and dispositions of every Age. Singing of Psalms hath not onely excellent presidents but enforcing reasons The Psalmist saith It is a good thing to sing unto our God Psal 47. 1. This duty being like a fruitfull Cloud in the Summer season which is not onely our screen against the heat but melts into a showre for the earths refreshing It doth not onely make a Canopy for us to keep of the scorching Sun but makes a draught for the ground to satisfie its parching thirst So we do not onely magnifie God in singing of Psalms but we solace our selves and put our Josh 6. 20. own hearts into a spiritual delight This duty is much to Edification Our souls are built up as the walls of Jericho were pulled down by loud sounding forth the praises of the Lord while we praise God we engage him and as holy musicians after we have drawn our tongues and hearts into the Quire we shall have our reward The Apostle advises Cum hilaritati inservimus aedificationis et utilitatis mutuae memores esse debemus Daven the Ephesians to speak to one another in Psalms Eph. 5. 19. The Christian at the same time carrying on a three-fold design 1. He praises God 2. He works divine truth upon his
and beautiful in it self but it fits not the person who is to wear it Singing of Psalms doth admirably chear and exhilerate the soul The Apostle speaks Eph. 5. 19. Of singing Psalms and Hymns and making melody in our hearts this duty is the Hortatur Christianos Apostolus ad laetitiam et exultationem spiritualem ut laeti et exultantes in Christianismo jubilent Alap sweet shout of the soul the jubilie of the inward man a spiritual exultation the triumphal gladness of a gracious heart a softer rapture We may say of this Service as Tremelius doth of Davids harp That by the musick of it the storms of Sauls spirit were laid and he was composed and serene This Service can calm a perturbed and discomposed spirit Augustine confesseth That oftentimes for joy he wept in the Aug. lib. 3. Confes cap. 6. Church to hear the melody of the peoples singing And Beza acknowledges That at his first enterance into the Congregation Bez. Paraph. in Psal 91. hearing them sing the 91st Psalm by the singing thereof he felt himself exceedingly comforted and he did ever since bear the sence of it dearly engraven on his heart Dr. Bound observes Psalms are most convenient for the Sabbath for that is a time of joy and there is no joy comparable to that we have in Christ Jesus who fills our hearts with joy unspeakable and 1 Pet. 1. 8. full of glory Indeed singing of Psalms it reveals and confines our joy it is the smile and the gracious smile of the soul The Apostle James adviseth us to turn our mirth into the right channel If we be merry let us sing Psalms Jam. Psalmis nos oblectemus et ex hisce hilaritatem nostram promanare annitendum est Daven 5. 13. Our mirth should be as the musick of the Sphears pure and coelestial As the waters of a spring and not as the waters of a pond which easily putrifieth Our joy then flowes and breaks out in this blessed duty of singing Psalms which is the only vent of inward complacency the heart being the chief musick-room of a Saint In the singing of Psalms we begin the service of heaven singing is the triumph of glory In heaven we read of the song of the Lamb the song of Moses Rev. 15. 3. All varieties in the Pallace of the great King sing songs to the Lord and to the Lamb who sits on the throne Rev. 5. 9 12 13. The twenty four Elders sing a new song as if they would out-vy and double the tribes of Israel as in their Psalmi sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaecunque cantiones variâ—s argumentis scriptae Hymni sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae solummodò dei laudes continent Cantica seu Odae sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peculiares magis artificiosae angustiore quadam formâ Daven number so in their praises to the God of Israel Rev. 5. 9. The Angels lift up their voice to sing the Psalms of heaven Rev. 5. 11. Those glorious spirits though they have no tongues yet they have voices to celebrate the praises of the Divine Majesty The Harpers likewise have a new song Rev. 14. 3. and joyn issue in the same harmony to evidence that heaven is a place of joy and triumph Now as no Ordinance better resembles the company of heaven then that of the Lords Supper where the Saints meet to feast with and on Christ So no Ordinance better resembles the harmony of heaven then the singing of Psalms when the Saints joyn in the praise of their Redeemer It is not without a Selah a note of observation that the Apostle is so copious in setting down the several wayes of the Saints praising God viz. In Psalms and Hymns and spirituall Songs Col. 3. 16. Is it not to prefigure that plenty and joy which is reserved for them when they shall always joyn in consort with the musick of the Bride-chamber David singing with his harp Psal 71. 22. here looks not so like the King of the Old as a Citizen of the New Jerusalem Rev. 14. 2. Singing of Psalms must be managed with prudential cautions In this heavenly duty the heart must be president of the Quire He playes the hypocrite who bids his harp awake when his heart is asleep Affection must be loudest Non vox sed votum non musica chordulâ— sed cor non clamans sed amans caniat in aure dei Aug. in every Psalm The Apostle saith That he will sing with the spirit 1 Cor. 14. 15. David tells us His heart was ready his heart was ready to sing and give praise Psal 57. 7 8. Psal 108. 1. The Virgin Mary sings her magnificat with her heart Luke 1. 46 47. Bernard in a Tract of his tells us When we sing Psalms let us take heed that we have the same De modo benè vivendi Bern. thing in our mind which we warble forth with our tongue and that our song and our tongue run not severall wayes Audiant illi quibus psallendi in ecclesiâ officium est deo non voce tantùm sed corde cantandum non in Tragaedorum modum Hieron Spiritual songs must not be as icâ—â—les which drop from the eves of our mouths but as sparks which fly from the hearths of our souls If there be only the calves of our lips it so much resembles a carnall and Jewish sacrifice Hierome tells us We must not act as players who stretch their throats and accomodate their tongues to the matter in hand but when we sing Psalms we must act as Saints praising God not only with our voice but with our hearts A sweet voice pleaseth men most but a melting heart pleaseth God most Non franges vocem sed frange voluntatem non servas tantùm consonantiâ—m vocum sed concordiam morum Bern. Thou studiest cadencies and to run divisions saith Bernard Study to break thy will and to keep under thy corrupt affections and do not so much affect a consonancy of voice as conformity of manners It is not a quavering voice but a trembling spirit Isa 66. 2. Augustine complains sadly of some in his time who minded more the tune then the truth which was sung more the manner how then the matter Aug. what and this was a great offence to him We must sing with grace in our hearts Col. 3. 16. Viz. Either as some expound it with gratitude and thankfulness Nâ—n incommodè cum cantionibus conjungitur gratitudo Daven Laetis prosperis rebus ad canendum monemur quo in statu affectus gratitudinis debitus est planè necessarius Dav. for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace is sometimes so taken 1 Cor. 15. 57. And indeed thankfulness is the Selah of this duty that which puts an accent upon the musick and sweetness of the voice we sing the thanksgivings of the Lord. In times of prosperity when God crowns us with his loving kindnesses
the dawning of the morning and cryed I hoped in thy word Morning gâ—aces like morning stars shine brightest David used to cast anchor upon divine truth in the morning he did not onely meditate on it but act his hope and confidence in it and this was Davids work in the earliest part of the day and this is a rare Copy for us How should we prevent the dawning of a Sabbath in our flights to God in our longings after Christ in beginning our Sabbath-work Judg. 21 4. Love to God and his Ordinances should tear the curtains open disdain the softness of the pillow and betimes 1 Joh. 1. 3. break open our closet doors to enjoy fellowship with Pers râ—m Rex unum habebat cubi uâ—arem qui idoffi ii habebu ut manè ingressus regi diceret Surge ô Rex etque ea cura quae te curare voluit Mosoromisdes Plutarch the Father and his Son Jesus Christ But to conclude this particular Plutarch reports That the Persian King had one of the Servants of his Chamber every morning to come to him and to cry to him Rise O King and follow those cares which thy good genius will have thee to pursue Let us onely invert the phrase and instead of thy good genius say Gods good spirit and it will be applicable to our selves Let us especially early on Gods day resolve we will follow the traces in which the holy spirit shall lead us Let us seriously preponderate the weight and multiplicity of a Sabbath-days work The Traveller who is to ride many miles gets up early in the morning and so sets upon Judg 19. 8. his Journey The soul hath a great way to travel upon the Lords day its task is great and therefore its time must not run wast There are many duties to perform First Secret duties On the Sabbath there are some duties which must onely be acted between God and the devout soul A gracious heart will have private intercourse with God Jesus Christ went into a Mountane apart to pray Mat. 14. 23. and he was there alone The Saint some times turns the Closet into a Sanctuary and never more fitly then on a Lords day Our dear Lord bids us go some times into our Chambers Mat. 6. 6. and shut the doors upon us The Saints are Gods hidden ones in point of worship they serve God in their recluses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quem vis locum occulium notat Par. and private retirements and this is an evidence of their uprightness The Spouse sometimes meets her beloved and none shall be spectators of their holy fellowship Nunquam minus solus quà m cum solus and upon Gods holy day let the gracious soul set upon these several duties First The reading of Gods word The Eunuch was reading the Prophet Isaiah in his Charriot not onely because he would lose no time but because he would be more serious Acts 8. 28. in this secret duty David compares the Word to an honey comb Psal 19. 10. and honey combs are usually in the private gardens The same Psalmist saith The Law was Psal 1. 2. his Meditation in the night and then surely he had few witnesses to view his devotion The closet door may keep out not onely other people but other thoughts and then we are fittest to converse with Gods Word when we are most intent Secondly Another secret duty for the Lords day Is holy Prayer to God and praising of God Indeed prayer is a duty 1 Thes 5. 17. accommodated for all places for all times and all cases but closet prayer on the morning of a Sabbath is like a morning star which portends a fair day We read of our Saviour Mark 1. 35. that in the morning rising up a great while Mark 1. 35. before day he went out and departed into a solitary place Acts 10. 9. and there prayed let us go and do so likewise And holy Peter in this confessed that the Disciple was not greater then his Master for he pursued the same practice Acts 10. 9. Peter went up upon the house to pray about the sixth hour And as we must pray to God so we must sing the praises of God in secret sometimes our closets must not only be our Oratories to poure out our prayers in but our Mount Olivets to sing Hymns of praise to the Divine Majesty Mat. 26. 30. We must begin the works of Heaven in secret which we shall be doing to eternity in blessed Society Thus David praised God seven times a day and certainly he had not every time witnesses of his Divine Exaltation Psal 119. 164. Thirdly A third secret duty is Holy Meditation When the mind that Spiritual Bee is working and seeking honey out of every flower and this piece of service is calculated Gen. 24. â—â— onely for privacy Company untravelling whatsoever meditation works but of this more largely hereafter Fourthly The last duty to be acted in secret upon the holy Sabbath is Self-Examination when Conscience is both Judge Witness and Tribunal And in the acting of this duty there needs no Sessions-house but a mans own breast David saith when we commune with our hearts we must Psal 4. 4. 1 Cor. 11. 28. be still There wants no noise from the world nor from the company of others These two last duties viz. Meditation and Self-Examination are most proper for the most secret and retired places fitter for the Closet then the Church the secret Chamber then the open Sanctuary they are as one saith actions of the mind and so concern a Dr. Gouge mans own self in particular And these secret duties of piety should especially be performed in the morning of a Sabbath that the Lords day may begin with them and then we shall be in a good preparation for other duties The beginning with God thus in the morning may influence the whole Sabbath like the tuning of an Instrument which makes the whole Lesson's melody the sweeter and indeed pure Religion and undefiled which the Apostle speaks of Jam. 1. 27. never look's so comly as on a Sabbath day the day Jam. 1. 27. inhances the duty as the lovely dress doth outward beauty Thus we see there are secret duties to be acted on a Sabbath Secondly Private Duties On Gods holy day we must not lock up our selves and our services above in the Chamber but we must come down into the Family and there the morning stars must sing together to allude to that of Job Job 38. 7. Consort makes the musick The stars shine brightest in a constellation Jesus Christ would not be transfigured alone but he took some to be witnesses of his Glory when he would Mat. 17. 1 2. Luke 9. 18. Mat. 13. 36. pray his Disciples were with him and when he would open the blessed mysteries of the Gospel he takes his Disciples to him In our closets there is indeed a meeting of thoughts
the spring of all irreligion Every flowr the beast feeds upon we have the sweetness of it in the milk and so all those truths we insinuate into the hearts of our Families in a chatechistical way we shall find in their behaviours and carriages The cost we bestow on our Gardens we find in the spring and then the sweetness of the Rose and the beauty of the Tulip will court both our eye and our smell so in this case our pains in chatechizing will be found in the towardliness of the youth of our Families and if we would turn our houses into little Churches chatechism must be Col. 4. 15. the chiefest consecration But if we lay aside this successful duty Ignorance will overgrow the Family and then a cloud of ignorance will easily melt into a shower of profaneness The darkness in the head will turn into darkness 1 Câ—r 2 8. in the deed and our Family may not love Christ probably because they do not know him Well instructed are usually well governed Families Let something then of the Sabbath Evening be spent and employed in this influentiall Duty CHAP. XXXV Singing of Psalmes is the Musique of a Sabbath THe Feast of a Sabbath is not to want the musique of a Ephes 5 19. Psalm The Lords day saith the Psalmist Psalm 118. Revel 5. 11. 24. is a day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it And Psalms are the ecchoes of joy the hearts Revel 4. 11. melody the Saints tuning his Hallelujahs When we sing Revel 5. 13. Psalms we seem to joyn issue with the 24 Elders mentioned in the Revelation and with the Quire of Angels the Psalm 100. 2. subject of whose Song is the Lord and the Lamb who sit 2 Sam. 23. 1. upon the Throne David was not onely the great King of Judah but the sweet Singer of Israel and he did not onely 1 Chron. 13. 8 compile his psalms for the Church but himself did sing Nehem. 12. 27. forth his Songs to the Lord nay the whole body of the Judg. 5. 3. people of Israel though they cannot be Psalmists they Psalm 30. 4. will be joyous in the praises of the Lord 1 Chron. 13. 8. The wall of the City was not dedicated without singing Psalm 147. 1. much more the worship of the Temple was not celebrated without the same method of praise thanksgiving Singing is the commanded mirth of Mountains Isa 44. 23. It is the Exultation of the Earth Isa 49. 13. It is the pleasant triumph of Saints Isa 51. 11. It is the Trophie of Victories Exod. 15. 21. It is the Musique of Israels Quire 1 Chron. 16. 9. And then surely it is the joyful melody of Gods holy day Gods praise is much set forth by singing and all varieties joyn in consort The trees of the Wood 1 Chron. 16. 33. The sphears of the Heavens Isa 44. 23. The Kingdomes of the Earth Psalm 68. 32. The Saints in their greatest numbers Psalm 149. 3. The Saints in their greatest straights Isa 26. 19. The Saints in their greatest flight Isa 42. 10 11. The Saints in their greatest deliverances Zeph. 3. 14 15. The Saints in their greatest necessities Isa 52. 9. Isa 54. 1. The Saints in their greatest plenties Isa 65. 14. Jer. 31. 12. How comely then doth singing divine praise to the divine Majesty befit the holy day of God And we are to take notice that Psalms are not onely calculated 1 Cor. 14. 26. for the publick Congregation but likewise for private Col. 3. 16. families There must be a Quire in our houses Our Loquitur Apostoâ—us non tantum de publicis in ecclesiâ cantatis hymnis sed etiam de privatis Dr Jun. children like the lesser birds must sing the praises of the Creatour Our servants must understand the chief service in singing forth thanksgivings to the Lord and Governours of Families must be guides of the Chore they must be Presidents in this complacential service Tertullian tells us That the Christians in the Primitive times had their meetings before day to sing to Jesus Christ so sweet was this Duty to Christiani habuere caetus antelucanos ad canendum Christo et Deo Tertul. Lib. â—0 Epist 97. Hymnipro sympanis sumantur Psalmodia pro flâ—gitiosis cantibus Naz. Niceph. lib. 13 cap. 8. Ruffin Histor lib. 10. cap. 9. them and reputed so necessary Eusebius mentions some Hymnes which the Christians in the early times of the Gospel used to recite and sing forth And Nepos compiled many of these divine Songs for the service of Dyonisius and his Brethren Plinius secundus though an Heathen makes mention of Christians singing of Psalms to their great praise in his Epistles to the Emperour Trajan Gregory Nazianzen much presseth the singing of Psalms and Hymns upon Christians in their solemn days for the avoidance of fidling Instruments and of light and jocular songs And as if psalms were not onely the discharge of our duty but the confutation of the errours of others Chrysostom commanded Psalms to be sung in the night for the suppression of the Arrian Heresie Basil as Ruffin attests commanded the people to meet for the pouring out of their prayers and singing of Psalms The Eastern Church from the time that the Mos cantandi in Orientâ—li ecclesiá jam inde ab Apostolis est observatus Dr. Jun. Sun of Righteousness arose in the East did propagate the use of singing of Psalms and Hymns to successive Generations Nor was the Western Church defective in praising and practising of this sweet and reviving Duty Holy Ambrose so zealously pressed this duty of singing of Psalms that he would not allow times of persecution a sufficient reason to intercept it But the Empress Justina raging against Plebs in ecclesiá excubâ—bat et tum psalmi et hymni cantabantur secundum morem in Orientalium partium ut populus reficeretur c. him He commanded the common people to lye in the Church and there sing Psalms and Hymns according to the practice of the Oriental Christians that they might not be sensible of any sorrow or tediousness and this custom prevailed in after-times and was scattered into other places the Churches in other parts imitating this worthy practice And Paulinus testifies that the same excellent Ambrose brought Hymnes and Psalms to be sung in publick in the Churches of Millain and this practice overspread almost the whole Western Per omnes penè Occidentis provincias manasse resert Paulin. Church Paulin. in Vit. Ambros And if you ask what Psalms were sung in those Early dayes of the Church Augustine informeth us The Psalms of David Aug. confes lib. 10. cap. 33. And Theodoret joyns in the same assertion Theodor Hist lib. 2. cap. 24. And these Oracles were warbled forth with a lively and sweet voyce that the truths which were sung did seem to get a new life by the tune as
Psal 103. 4. We are then stirred up to sing forth the praises of God and every part of man makes up the Consort the eye looks up with joy the tongue sets the tune the hand claps with triumph Psal 47. 1. The heart is the Organist which sets all the rest on going that bosom instrument begins the songs of praise Secondly Bishop Davenant expounds with grace viz. with gracefulness with a gracefull dexterity which brings Et prodesse volunt delectare both profit and pleasure to the hearers When we sing Psalms we must sing seriously and solemnly not lightly or sensually to gratifie a curious ear or a wanton spirit Psalms they are not the Comedies of Venus or the jocular celebrations of a wanton Adonis but they are the spirituall ebullitions and breakings forth of a composed soul to the holy and incomprehensible Jehovah Therefore David Psal 96. 1. will sing a new song to the Lord Psal 96. 1. i. e. in the Hebrew dialect a most excellent song a song tuned with suavity composed with piety and warbled forth Psal 137. 4. with real sincerity Thirdly This phrase with grace may most properly signifie the acting of grace in that heavenly duty Not only our heart but Gods spirit must breath in this service in it we Cum in conspectu dei Cantus sit hoc considera in mente Bern. must act our joy our confidence our delight in the Lord. Singing is the triumph of a gracious soul his unconstrained exultation which is not penned up in the mind by meditation nor confined to the ear in attention nor yet chained to the tongue in prayer and supplication but flyes abroad in a more solemn Ovation praising him who causeth him to triumph in Christ as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 2. 14. In singing 2 Cor. 2. 14. of Psalms the gracious heart takes wing and mounts up to God to joyn with the celestial Quire We must sing with understanding We must not be guided by the tune but the words of the Psalm and must not so much mind the melody as the matter we must consider what we sing as well as how we sing The tune may affect Psal 47. 7. the fancy but it is the matter affects the heart David in 1 Cor. 14. 15. the Old Testament Psal 47. 7. And the Apostle in the Spiritum intelligentiam opponit Apostolus ut causam effectum docens psallendum esse spiritu ut non modò à psallentibus sed ab audientibus intelligatur Quia secus fructu illud totum carebit Par. in Cor. New 1 Cor. 14. 15. call for understanding in singing otherwise we make a noise but we do not sing a spirituall song and so this duty would be more the work of the Chorister then the Christian and we should be more delighted with an Anthem of the Musicians making then with a Psalm of the spirits enditing We must therefore sing wisely that not only our own hearts may be affected but those who hear us Alapide observes that the word understanding mentioned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 15. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew which signifies profound judgment and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint which signifies the acuteness of understanding the sharpness of it the mind of the understanding if there be any more spiritual and freed from the body And thus we must sing our Psalms and spiritual Psallite diligentèr ut nimirum vos intelligatis sapiatis ea quae psâ—llitis et alii qui vos audiunt ea quae vos psallitis intelligant Alap Prâ—ces Pontificiorum linguâ ignotâ non tam Oratio sunt quà m murmur songs A learned man observes We must rellish what we sing Now the understanding must lead the way to the taste and the gust Let me superadde one thing more The Apostle in the forementioned place 1 Cor. 14. 15. saith He will pray with the spirit and with understanding he will sing with the spirit and with understanding So then we must sing as we must pray Now the most rude and ignorant Petitioners will understand what they pray rather then they will Petition in the dark they will confine themselves to a form or to the Lords prayer None so ignorant as not to understand what they ask Unknown prayers are the soloecism of Religion they are only a vain muttering a troublesome noise Children know what to ask of their Parents and their minority doth not speak so Luke 18. 13. much ignorance as to wrap up their requests in a cloud Luke 11. 13. that they cannot understand their meaning It is well observed by a learned man That the prayers of the Papists in an unknown tongue are not so much a supplication as a murmur Now ignorance in singing falls under the same condemnation with ignorance in praying and is as great a soloecism when we understand not what we sing it speaks the harshness of the voice the hardness of the heart and the impertinency of the service We must sing to the Lord In singing of Psalms the direct intention of our minds must be to God And we must be Deo laudes et hymnos in gratiarum actionem canamus Ansel Psalmus est signifer pacis spirituale thymiama exercitium coelestium luxum reprimit sobrietatem suggerit et lacrymas movet Aug. affected as the matter of the Psalm is and our present condition doth occasion Singing is part of divine worship a piece of Gospel service The Apostles counsel is That in singing we should make melody in our hearts to the Lord Eph. 5. 19. And least we should omit this circumstance which is the substance of the whole duty the Apostle repeats his counsel Col. 3. 16. and adviseth us to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. A learned man observes That the right singing of Psalms is an evidence of the holy spirit inhabiting the heart and a spirit of joy breathing in the Saints And if the spirit of the Lord be in us he will be aimed at by us in all our duties The spirit will mount service upwards will Psal 7. 17. lift up the soul in prayer Psal 25. 1. Isa 37. 4. will lift Psal 30. 4. up the hands in request Psal 28. 2. will lift up the head Cantare in corde domino non vocem excludit sed cordis affectionem cum voce conjungendam monet Dav. with joy Psal 110. 7. And will lift up the voice to God in singing David saith Psal 111. 1. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart Deborah and Barak sing their triumphal song to the Lord Judge 5. 3. And the Psalmist calls the songs of Sion the songs of the Lord Psal 137. 3 4. Singing of Psalms properly is nothing else but the lifting up the voice and the heart to God One gravely tells us Our In eo rectè sentiebant qui hunc spiritualem cultum
satisfaction not our burden but our blessing the sinner must not Psal 27. 4. Mat. 18. 20. take that pleasure in the dalliances of the world as we should do in the duties of a Sabbath This is the day of divine loves and spiritual complacencies between Christ and Cant. 2. 3. Delitias tum tuas tum Domini Alap the soul when Christ and the Soul meet together in the Garden of the Ordinances where they begin that communication which shall last to Eternity then the believer sits under the shadow of Christ with great delight As God makes the Sabbath his rest so he would have it to be ours The Sabbath must not be our toyle but our triumph the Sanctuary must be our banqueting house Duty our delight Psal 42. 3. 4. It must be the joy of our souls to associate with Christ to pour out our requests in prayer to entertain the discourses of divine will and to enjoy spiritual love which is better then wine The Sabbath in the primitive times was called Cant. 1. 2. Nos in primâ die perfecti Sabbathi festivitate laetamur Hilar. in Prol. in Psalm the feast of the Sabbath and feasts are not usually times of tediousness but pleasantness such times pass away with gratefull delight and surely it must needs soyle the character of a Christian to let those wheels drive heavily which are in the Chariots of Aminadah Doth it not very much unbecome us to be weary of that day which God hath appointed Cant. 6. 12. for fellowship with himself and for the transacting of the great affairs of Eternity There is a Command for Reverence So the Text the holy of the Lord. Si colueris Sabbathum quasi diem sanctum gloriae glorificationi Domini consecratum If Psal 2. 12. thou observe the Sabbath as a holy day consecrated and set apart to the glory and glorifying of God as he well glosses upon it There are two holy passions adorne a Sabbath Joy and Fear the one for the benefits of God the Psal 2. 11. Discamus die Dominico non quaerere gloriam nostram pompose incedendo et splendidé nos vestiendâ— sed Dei gloriam quaeramus hoc nobis erit gloriosum quod gloria dei per ros alios celebretur Isa 66. 2. other for the presence of God the one for his goodness and the other for his greatness Upon a Sabbath we must as the Psalmist speaks rejoyce with trembling It was the saying of a Learned man Vpon the day of a Sabbath let us not promote our own Glory by stately walking rich attire and pompous appearances but let us exalt Gods Glory by holy duties and this will be more glorious and honourable to us Upon the Sabbath let us tremble at Gods Word as the Lord speaks by the Prophet Isa 66 2. Let us lye at Gods feet let us be awfull of Gods presence let us exalt Gods Name and this is to sanctifie a Sabbath Humble hearts and not fine cloaths the bowing of the soul not the plaiting of the hair or the ordering of the Dress speaks the Sabbath Glorious The Lord calls for high estimations of the Sabbath So the Text Honourable The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Machhid in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original signifies that which is Glorious and that which is Ponderous Every Sabbath is a price put into our hands Luke 19. 42. a good wind for Heaven the souls term time that aâ—tionius Psal 118. 24. temporis that juncture of time which the soul hath to claâ— up for Eternity On this day more especially the Scepter of Grace is held out to lay hold upon One observes our Esth 5. 2. Sabbath is called the Lords day not onely because it is the Commemoration of our Lords Resurrection but because of the benefits we receive from the Lord that day and the duties we perform to the Lord that day and therefore if we will practice the Text we must prize the Sabbath we must call it honourable and indeed it is so in a manifold respect If we look upward This is the day in which more especially we sing the praises of the Lord we recount his hohour wherein our hearts bubble forth in holy thanksgivings and therefore the Psalm whose inscription calls it a Psalm for the Sabbath is wholly Laudatory It is a song Psal 92. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Sabbath day so is the very title And indeed what is the Lords day but primitiae Coeli the dawning of Glory the beginnings of Heaven the tuning of the musick which shall last for ever to every true believer On the Lords day the Saint makes it his grand affaire to advance the Lords Honour If we look downward the Sabbath still is honourable Then the Lord crowns us with his graces honours us with his presence meets us in his ordinances puts all marks and characters Mat. 18. 20. of honour on his people then the King sits at his Cant. 1. 12. Table and sends forth his Spicknard with the sweet smell of it The Holy Sabbath is the blessed time when the Lord Sponsa contactu sponst sui planè divinam suavitatem acquisivit Del. Rio. 1 John 1. 3. Mat. 18. 20. bows the Heavens and comes down and vouchsafes his people fellowship with himself sweet and salvifical communion in a word then the Father drops his grace then the Son promises his presence then the Spirit pursues his work in the assemblies of his Saints If we look outward if we cast our eyes upon other days the other six days of worldly toyle and labour The very gleanings of a Sabbath are better then the Vintage of the Judges 8. 2. week In other dayes we onely reap the curse of the first Adam to eat our bread in the sweat of our brows on the Gen. 3. 19. holy Sabbath we reap the blessing of the second Adam we gather the fruits of his glorious purchase we enjoy the ordinances of his grace lye under the impressions of his spirit and inherit the sweets of his presence and therefore compare the Sabbath with other dayes and what is the dross of a week to the gold of a Sabbath This day is nothing but the souls weekly Jubilee If we look forward towards eternity the Sabbath in this regard is honourable it is the special day for the soul to dress and trim it self in to meet its Bridegroom this is our peculiar Fuit illud Sabbathum Gen. 2. 3. Typus aeterni illius Sabbathi in â—aeâ—is in quo electi animâ et corpore à peccatis calomitatibus et miseriis hujus vitae requiescent Deus in illis et ipsi in Deo Gen. 66. 23. Vltra hunc mundum est veri Sabbathi observatio Orig. Prov. 34. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 2 Cor. 4. 7. In Sabbatho totus Deo deique voluntati cognoscendae annuntiandae et edimplendae vaces Alap time to prepare for eternity The
and season for spiritual communications between Christ and the Spouse But now the main Query will be what are those duties which are incumbent upon us on the morning of a Sabbath To Reply therefore to this Query I shall instance first in Meditation Meditation is the souls flight towards Heaven and therefore it had need take the wings of Psal 139. 9. the morning When thou hast broken thy sleep begin the Sabbath with holy Meditation that is the morning sacrifices of the mind CHAP. XIV The Benefits and Excellency of Holy Meditation MEditation is a most notable piece of Gods service the very life and strength of all other Duties and without which all duties are infeebled full of weakness and infirmity Meditatio est nutrix orationis Ger. Meditation is the Nurse which feeds our prayers it is the Nail which fastens the Word it is one hand that puts on the wedding Garment to fit us for the supper of the Lord. Meditation it is the spiritual silk-worm which works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haec cura haec satage his juge studium et corporis et animae vires impende et intende rare and curious silk rich goods out of its own bowels It is the travel of the understanding the souls Hue and Cry after Divine things it is the fixing of the heart upon God or some thing of God it is the stop and pause of the mind from the impertinent wandrings and rovings of it In a word Meditation is the randezvous and trooping together of the thoughts in some spiritual matter as Sun-beams are Psal 119. 15. gathered together in a burning glass If we meditate upon the Word or any truth therein then our thoughts flock together 1 Tim. 4. 15. and center in the divine truth in this spiritual object Now for the canvasing of this Excellent Duty I shall briefly open what may conduce to the fullest discovery of it First Let us view Meditation in the nature of it and it may be thus described It is the souls retiring of it self that Quatuor tibi meditanda reor quae sub te quae circate quae supra te et teipsum a te meditatio inchoet ne frustrà extendaris in alia te neglecto Quid tibi prodest si universum mundum luereris si teipsum perdas Et si sapiens sis c. Bernard Consid ad Eugenium Mr. Greenham in his tract of meditation by a serious and solemn thinking upon God or some thing divine the heart may be raised up to heavenly affections Some refer this holy duty chiefly to the understanding but others draw it nearer to the memory as one describes Meditation thus That it is the exercise of the mind whereby we calling our selves to remembrance that which we know we do further debate of it with our own souls reasoning about it and applying it to our selves that we may make use of it in our practice and so it frameth our affections accordingly Holy Greenham observes in Meditation two parts of the soul are busied First The Memory remembring some thing heard or read Secondly The understanding gathering some thing upon that which is remembred Now First Meditation is a retired duty A Christian when he Meditation a retired duty goes to meditate he must seclude himself from the World the affairs of this life make so much noyse that they drowne the sweet though secret musick of meditation Holy Isaac Mat. 14. 23. retires into the field to meditate there must be a necessary sequestration Gen. 24. 63. of our selves from every impertinent and intruding object if we will pursue this holy service of Meditation this duty is chamber nay closet practice The sweet Manna the soul feeds upon when there is no spectator of its banquet When Zacheus would see Christ he climbs Luke 19. 3 4. up into the Sycamore tree to see him so when we would see God we must get out of the croud of worldly business Si sapiens sis deest tibi ad sapientiam si tibi non fueris Quantum verò Noveris licet omnia mysteria noveris lata terrae alta coeli et profunda maris si temetipsum non noveris eris similis aedificanti sine fundamento ruinam non structuram faciens Bern. we must climb up into the tree by retiredness of Meditation St. Bernard when he came to the Church door he used to say Stay here all my worldly thoughts that I may converse with God in the Temple so say to thy self I am now going to meditate O all ye vain thoughts stay behind come not near When thou ascendest the mount of meditation take heed that the world do not follow thee at thy heels Indeed meditation is an inward and secret duty the soul retires its self into the closet and bids farewell to all impertinent extravagancies which may discompose its privacy and takes a view of those things which are within its self Meditation is an invisible duty to the eye of the world and therefore carnal men do relish it Meditation is a Serious Duty and it is one of the noblest works a Christian can perform Reason then is in its exaltation When the soul doth meditate it puts forth the Meditation is a serious duty most judicious and rational acts then is the soul most like to God who spends eternity in contemplating his own essence Psal 77. 12. and glorious attributes When the Christian meditates he practices an imitation of Divine Majesty 1 Tim. 4. 15. Meditation is a sublime Duty It is an exercise of the understanding it is not a duty in which we converse with Qualis illic coelestium regnorum voluptas sine timore moriendi cum aeternitate vivendi Cypr. drossie things meditation properly sets upon spiritual things upon spiritual objects spiritual truths spiritual doctrines David meditates on Gods Law Meditation pitches upon the joyes of Heaven the great account man must give the defiling nature of sin the extremities of hell and on objects of the like nature Psal 119. 97. Meditation a sublime duty Meditation is a fixed duty It is not a cursory work Mans thoughts naturally labour with a great inconsistency but meditation chains them and fastens them upon some spiritual object The Soul when it meditates layes a command Meditation a fixed duty Josh 1. 8. mand on it self that the thoughts which are otherwise flitting and feathery should fix upon its object and so this duty is very advantagious As we know a Garden which is watered with suddain showers is more uncertain in its fruit then when it is refreshed with a constant stream so when our thoughts are some times on good things and then run off when they onely take a glance of a holy object and then flit away there is not so much fruit brought into the soul In meditation then there must be a fixing of the heart upon the object a steeping the thoughts as holy
saepius nobis accidit ut quae omnium optime addicisse videmur quando ad rem ventum est ignoremus Ger. Gen. 19. 3. to aggravate our condemnation Memory is onely the registring of a truth but meditation is the learning of it by heart memory opens the door to entertain spiritual knowledge but meditation it locks the door upon that discovery It will not let it fly out again Meditation like Lot is importunate that holy truths like welcomed Angels lodge with us The meditation of any thing hath more sweetness in it then bare remembrance The memory is the chest to lay up a truth but meditation is the palate to feed upon it The memory is like the Ark in which the Manna was laid up Meditation is like Israels eating of the Manna When David began to Psal 63. 5 6. meditate upon God it was sweet to him as marrow There is as much difference between a truth remembred and a truth meditated on as between a cordial in the glass and a cordial drank down The next thing considerable in this excellent duty of meditation is the timing of it how much how often how long we must meditate Indeed the Scripture doth not positively Requiritur animus memor vigilans qui dies noctes de praeceptis servandis cogitet Ger. determine any set time for this holy service Our chief Pilots and Guides is this main importance must be spiritual prudence and divine affection Our wisdome must select and our love must limit the time for sweet meditation Indeed some of Gods holy people have taken long Journies in this holy duty David tells us that he spent the whole day in it Psal 119. 97. Nay he mentions a Godly man Psal 119. 97. who when the day was shut in would not call off his soul from this blessed service as being tired and wearied but would travel all night in the same complacential performance But leaving these extraordinary examples we may Psal 1. â— certainly and truly conclude that we must consecrate some part of our time every day to this duty of meditation David though he had the business of a Kingdome and the pleasures of a Court to divert him yet saith of the Law it was his meditation all the day and in this evidences the excellent Psal 119 97. disposition of his soul Truly frequency in this duty is not onely praise-worthy but will bring in a harvest of spiritual gain By frequency we shall make our thoughts more plyable for the discharge of this secret and difficult duty the soul will be made more apposite and accommodate for it Frequent and customary running maketh a person long breathed and more able for exercise when we use this duty of Meditation every day our thoughts will be more consistent they Hos 6. 3. will be more improved and ripened for meditation And on the contrary when we neglect the frequent use of it we shall find meditation first more unpleasant and then more unnecessary and at last more distastfull and burthensome Disuse quickly brings holy duties into disgust The interruption in and infrequency of this duty will hinder the fruits of it when there are long strides between the performances of this duty we lose the benefit of former meditations As in the body when a man makes a free and liberal meal this will not maintane and support him long Panem petimus quotidianum quo quotidiè indigemus quique quotidiè nobis frugalitèr alendis sufficiat Par. but the next day a new and fresh hunger importunes another meal and if denyed the body faints and languisheth So meditation like food it must be our daily repast else the refreshing of former meditations wear out and leave no fruit or benefit behind When the Hen leaves her Eggs for a long time and doth not sit upon them they are unfit for production and never are reared to be Chickens but when she daily broods upon them they are living and lively productions So when we leave our wonted course of meditation for some space of time our affections grow chill and cold and are not fit to produce comfort and holiness to our souls when we are constant in this work we shall find the benefit and advantage of it Quest But if it be demanded how long we must continue in this duty of meditation Answ It may be answered so long till meditation bring forth some considerable benefit till it stir up our affections warm Domine nunqâ—om à te absque te recedam Bern. our hearts and tune our inward man till we find some sensible change and transformation in our souls Indeed nature disrelisheth this duty and we are very apt to be soon weary of it Our thoughts are like a bird in a Cage which flutters the more when confined and meditation fastens and confines them to some spiritual object But the distasts of nature to this duty should make us not more weary but much more vigorous As when the wood is green or wet we do not throw down the bellows in a pet or anger but we spend more time and draw out more strength in the blowing and in so doing there first riseth some smoak then some sparkes and by going forward at last it breaks into a hot and bright flame And so it is with the duty of divine meditation when we first meditate on spiritual things at first we raise a smoak of a few sighs towards God and by continuance sparkes of holy affections fly up heaven-ward Gen. 8. 21. but at last there is a flame of seraphical loves the soul is in an extasie with Jesus Christ Now we should not give over In phrasi hac primò est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tribuiturque deo quod proprium est hominibus Secundò est metaphora sicut homines odoribus gratis suaviter officiuntur it a deus delectatur file gratitudine Noah Par. in Genes meditating till this flame break out and ascend up towards God as Noah's sacrifice with a sweet smelling savour to the Divine Majesty When a man goes forth in a calm and serene evening and views the face of the Heavens he shall at first see a star or two twinckle and peep forth but if he continues his prospect both their luster and their number is increased and at last the whole Heavens are bespangled with stars So when we first meditate upon the promises of the Gospel at first it may be one star begins to appear a little light conveighs it self to the heart but let us go forward and we shall find when our thoughts are amplified and ripened there will be a clear light more satisfaction will be conveyed to the Soul and in continuance of these divine meditations the Covenant of Grace will be bespangled with promises as the Heavens with stars to give us rich and full satisfaction But there are some signal and special seasons for the acting of this duty of meditation Sometimes our
affections are more smart and vigorous our thoughts are more lively and unwearied and so more disposed to this excellent service and such seasons are our harvest for the acting of this duty and reaping the great comfort of it The morning is an accommodated time for meditation then the body hath been refreshed with the sweetness of The first season for meditation rest and so the impressions of toyle being worn off it is the more active for the labours of meditation David was with God before break of day The morning Sun smiles with the Psal 119. 147. most pleasant aspect when first it begins it 's laborious circuit Our thoughts are shot out of our minds with greatest strength in the morning when our bodies can yield their most lively assistance and there are many pregnant reasons for it Holy thoughts and meditations are most acceptable in that season When we awake in the morning many suitors attend our thoughts aad every suitor useth urgent importunity Jer. 2. 3. now if spiritual things obtain the first admittance this is most grateful to God It cannot but be a sinful provocation that our thoughts should be as the Inne in Bethlehem Luke 2. 7. where strangers took up all the rooms and Luke 2. 7. Christ was excluded and was fain to lye in a manger Indeed Charitas sponsae quae tot allecta beneficiis sponso deo in amore obedientiâ et obsequio mutuò respondit et eum deperiit Lyran. it cannot but be matter of deploration that vain and worldly thoughts should take up all the rooms of our souls in the morning and Christ shut out But for the prevention of this let Divine things first attach our meditations and this will be well-pleasing to the Lord. In the stilling of strong water the first water which is drawn from the still is more full of spirits and the second and the third they are weaker and smaller and not of the same value So the first meditations which are still'd from the mind in the morning are the best and we shall find them more full Gen. 4. 4. of life and spirits and they come nearer to Abels sacrifice Abel non etemandato tantùm sed exside obtulit The morning is the golden hour of the day like the first springing grass which is most pleasant to the eye and most sweet to the taste The morning is the first budding of time Let Christ have it in holy and divine speculations Meditation in the morning will be more influential The Vessel which is first seasoned with that which is pretious and odoriferous will retain the scent and tincture nor will easily lose it but with much toyle and labour That of the wise man is considerable When thou awakest it will talk with Prov. 6. 22. thee As Servants come to their Masters in the morning and receive Rules from them how they shall manage their business all the day following So a gracious heart which meditates on Gods Word and things divine in the morning those savoury tinctures abide on him all the day and Quâ— semel est imbuâ—a recers servabit odorâ—m teâ—ta diu he walks with more circumspection and fruitfulness Wind up thy heart towards Heaven in the morning and it will go the better all the day The wool takes the first dye best and it is not easily worn out The heart seasoned with holy meditations in the beginning will keep this colour in grain It would become us to perfume our minds with divine thoughts betimes on the day that the smell may scatter it self to all we meet withall that day Equity requires our morning meditations to be sequestred and set apart for God Some of his first thoughts were set upon us If we are in Christ we had a being in his thoughts Eph. 1. 4. of love before we had a being in the world His earliest 1 Joh. â— 19. loves fastened upon us when we were onely in the possibility Spirituales benedictiones in ipsâ aeternâ praedestiratione suerunt nobis in Christo praeparatae Zanch. and futurition of a being We had the morning of Gods thoughts before ever the Sun did rise or shine in the World What thoughts of free and rich Grace what kind thoughts of mercy and peace had God of us from all everlasting Let us in some measure retaliate the first loves of God let us fix our thoughts upon God in holy meditation before the day breaks and delivers the light the infallible Jer. 31. 3. harbinger of it But more especially the morning of a Sabbath is the most genuine and sweetest season for meditation and that upon this two-fold account Holy meditation will fasten the heart upon God which is very necessary upon the morning of a Sabbath Meditation is properly the centring of the thoughts as was suggested before and fixing them upon some spiritual object Gen. â—4 1. Our hearts they are naturally slippery and will be gadding with Dinah unless they are kept at home viz. with God the proper home of the soul by divine contemplation It was the boast of holy David that his heart was fixed the Psal 57. 7. fixing of the soul on God is both the duty and the glory of a Psal 108. 1. Christian Now when once meditation hath fastened our thoughts on something divine they will not be so easily call'd off nor so subject to sinfull avocations which will be a transcendent happiness on the Lords day Divine meditation will fledge and raise our affections not onely six our hearts upon God but draw them out to God in ardent and holy desires which likewise is most suitable to the morning of a Sabbath We light affection by the fire of meditation On Gods holy day we should be in an extasie Psal 42. 2. of love to Jesus Christ and meditation is that which can elevate and draw up the desires to Christ and when they are once raised they do not so easily sink and fall again Psal 119. 97. When Bells are raised then they are musical and proclaim their loud harmony to all who are within the hearing The Psal 19. 6. Sun when it is risen it ascends gradually and runs its pleasing and swift circuit untill it be stopt by full noon So Psal 104 34. likewise the soul being raised by sweet and divine meditation on the morning of Gods holy day it will be drawing out its holy fervencies and longings after God the whole Sabbath ensuing The next season for holy meditation is the Evening So we read of holy Isaac He went out to meditate in the field at Even tide Gen. 24. 63. When business is over and every The second season for meditation thing is calm it is then a convenient time to let out our thoughts loose to fly up to God God had his Evening as Exod. 29. 39. well as his Morning sacrifice As the cream at the top is sweet
And though his Throne is as high as heaven he seeth what is done below Thirdly God is present every where by his supporting 3. Per Suflentationem power he upholds all things the whole Axle-tree of the Greation would soon yield and sink under its weight was it not sustained by the power of the Almighty Fourthly God is present every where by his Government 4. Per Dominium He rules all things Angels and Men are his subordinate officers the Sun and Moon are those lamps he sets up to rule both day and night But Secondly There is a special presence of God his gracious presence whereby he manifests himself to his people which likewise is three-fold First This presence is evidenced in some visible and standing Exod. 13. 21. tokens as in those extraordinary the pillars of the cloud Exod. 25. 10. and of the fire and in those ordinary the Ark and the Temple 1 Kings 8. 11. of old and the Ordinances of the Gospel now Secondly In some inward influences and irradiations upon the hearts of his hidden and holy ones Thirdly In some signal effects in conducting leading and covering his people in times of danger and peril Exod. 33. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my face faith the Original my self saith the Exod. 33 4 Septuagint shall go before you Now we should meditate on the presence of God in every distinction and this would not only supply our thoughts but direct our words for God hath many eyes upon us First God hath an eye of observation and inspection God seeth with what uprightness and sincerity we run through Jer. 16. 17. our duties Jer. 16. 17. God eyes and takes notice of all our Mal. 1. 14. services and all our sacrifices whether we offer up to him the Male of our flock or no whether we are singing or hearing or praying or reading the eye of the Lord is upon us Preces non tam verbis quà m animo aestimantur Lyser He takes exact notice with what frame of heart our performances are managed whether slothfully or spiritually whether heavily or of a willing mind Secondly God hath an eye of favour and benediction Gods eye can convey a blessing as well as his band and his eye can speak his good will as well as his heart 2 Chron. 7. Jer. 24. 6. 1 Kings 9. 3. 2 Chron. 7. 16. Psal 101. 6. Psal 30. 7. 16. Psal 101. 6. Gods eye is in his house of prayer to approve and bless us if we sanctifie his Name in holy Ordinances we should then be accurate and exact in Sabbath observation for Gods eye is fixed upon us and he will not turn it aside nor lies it within the verge of humane artifice to cast a mist before it Thirdly God hath an eye of anger indignation Gods looks Isa 66. 4. sometimes speak his Anger as well as his Blows Job 16. 9. Isa 1. 26. His fury is visible by his frowas Gods sight can wound Christus iratus hostes ut ignis paleas consumit as deeply as his sword Amos 9. 4. God seems sometimes to stab to the heart by the glance of his eye And if we wait on God irreverently worship him carelesly and prophane his day Ezek. 22. 26 and 31. either by corporal labour or by spiritual idleness we may justly expect to be blasted by an eye of divine fury and displeasure Dan. 10. 6. pleasure Christ whose eyes are as a flame of fire Rev. 1. Psal 13. 2. 14. walks in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks throughout the world He observes how holy duties are performed and how his holy day is sanctified he is in the midst of our Assemblies to behold our inward and outward carriage in his Courts he goeth down into his Garden of nuts to see Hortus nucum sunt corda sanctorum et quideum valdè diligunt coelestem dulcedinem in intimis gerunt Del Rio. the fruits of the valley Cant. 6. 11. He seeth the rotten bough of hypocrisie the bare leaves of an empty profession without the answerable fruits of a holy conversation and looks on these disappointments with fury and indignation In a word this presence this eye of God must be thought of and meditated on upon the morning of a Sabbath and it will be a good preparatory to the subsequent duties of the whole day CHAP. XXIII We must not onely meditate on the God of the Sabbath but on the Sabbath of God in the morning of his holy day HAving thus far treated on the first glorious object of our Sabbath meditations viz. Tbe God of the Sabbath Gen. 24. 63. Paradisus est locus beatorum locus nobilior et eminentior Alap I now come to the second head of meditation viz. The Sabbath of God and here is fair Champian for meditation to travel over Indeed the Sabbath is a garden for meditation to walk in it is like Isaac's field into which he went to meditate it cannot but be an inferiour Paradise for meditation to delight it self in and to open our way into this Paradise where there is no flaming sword to keep us out Gen. 3. 24. We will first cast our tye on the several ends of the Sabbath God hath many rare and sacred ends in giving us this seventh part of every week for converse with his divine self and for transacting the affairs and concernments of Eternity There is a general and universal end of the Sabbath Creatio estopus mirandum et stupendum Dr. Jun. which refers to all mankind and relates not particularly either to the Jewish or to the Christian Church viz. To preserve the memory of the glorious work of the Creation And indeed this work was most illustrious and in it many things were discovered Psal 90. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philos First Gods Eternity who was before all things Psal 90. 2. Yea before time it self in which all things were created Secondly In the work of Creation we may take notice of the Self-being of God who being before all things gives being to all things and must necessarily be of himself Thirdly In this great work we may discern the overflowing Isa 37. 16. Isa 40. 28. Isa 45. 12 18. Isa 51. 13. Jer. 14. 22. Jer. 27. 5. Jer. â—2 17. Jon. 1. 9. Rev. 4. 11. Psal 33. 6 9. bounty of God for nothing could move him to create a world but his own goodness that there might be a Cistern to receive the sheddings of an overflowing fountain besides how hath God furnished and stored the world with all variety of furniture for the use of his Vice-Roy Man Fourthly In this stupendous work of the Creation we cannot but acknowledge Gods infinite power who by his word alone created the vast bodies of the Heavens and the Earth and all the numerous host of them Fifthly In this miraculous work we may admire his Inter omnia beneficia dei
Jer. 3. 13. forgive the sins of our prayers that our dull ear flat heart ranging mind floating thoughts treacherous memory may be pardoned to us and that the sins of our Sabbath may not sowre the sweets of our Sabbath and so our precious priviledges become as Vriahs letters whose contents were the destruction of the bearer We let fall an Evening dew of Aliud Sabbatâ—m et alia requies relinquitur et restat populo dei popu-lo fideli et Christiano putà requies gaudium et solennitas coelestis figurata per Sabbatum Judaicum tears upon our very services on Gods holy day 2. Petitory But our sighs must not so stop our language but we must be begging as well as moaning and there are many things we must importune the Lord for the winding up of his Sabbath we must beseech him that his smiles would speak his acceptation of what we have performed that holy day that his spinit would feal upon us those instructions which we have heard that day that our lives might conform to those blessed ordinances which we have enjoyed that day that a full fruition of himself may succeed the sweet communion we have had with himself that day and that the present Sabbath may be the harbinger of an Eternal Rest which is the glorious reserve God hath made for his Saints Heb. 4. 9. We must likewise pray that every lust complained of that day may receive its deaths wound that every sin confessed and acknowledged that day may receive its full pardon that every opportunity of life possessed that Ecclesia â—â— domus orâ—tionis quia in eá a deo petimus peccatorum veniam vitiorum victoriam virtutum robur et incrementum in tentationibus constantiam in gratiâ et virtutibus progressum felicem mortem et sa lutiferam beatitudinem Alap in Is day may receive its designed end Wrestling with God is never more seasonable then on the day of God then it is both seasonable and sweet therefore let it put its last hand to our Sabbath Of all graces faith wears the Crown Eph. 6. 16. Of all duties Prayer wears the Garland Isa 45. 11. This is the favourite in the Court of heaven to whom the King of Kings can deny nothing Gods house must be called a house of Prayer Isa 56. 7. not of hearing not of singing not of receiving but of praying One letter in Gods name is he is a God hearing prayer Psal 65. 1 2. It is prayer can sanctifie afflictions it is prayer can bless provisions it is prayer can sweeten Ordinances and make them marrow and fatness to the soul Psal 63. 5. Prayer is the Porter to keep the door of our lips Prayer is the strong hilt which defends the strength of our hands Prayer is the Chymist which turns all into Gold and it is prayer can turn a Sabbath into that which is better then gold Let Prayer then bring up the rear of our services on a Sabbath 3. Gratulatory In the close of a Sabbath let us triumph 1 Thes 5. 16. and â—â—joyce in the Lord and in the cool of the evening let us Semper gaudete si non actu tamen habitu Cajet not lose the heat of the day Let not our Sabbath be as Nebuchadnezzars Image whose head was of Gold breast and armes of silver but the feet and lower parts iron and clay Let not our hearts in the morning of a Sabbath have heavenly Dan. 2. 32 33. heat and be in a golden temper and in the evening as dead and cold as the iron and the clay It is very sad when our affections on a Sabbath are like the grass the Prophet speaks of Psal 90. 6. In the morning it flourisheth Zach. 14. 6 7. and in the evening it is cut down dried up and withered Some experienced Christians can say that upon the continued 1 Chr. 23. 30. care throughout the Sabbath in the evening thereof they have received large enlivenings of soul Plutarch reports of a River which runs sweet in the morning but bitter at night Let not this be the emblem of our condition but rather as Rivers have their Evening Tides as well as their morning so let it be full water with us in the evening of the Sabbath and then we have many things to praise Jehovah for 1. We must magnifie the Name of God for the time of a Psal 92. 2. day that the candle of our life burned one day longer when Divine Justice might have snuffed it out Acts 17. 28. 2. For the sweetness of an Ordinance Ordinances are the souls Jubile the walks where we meet with our beloved the Golden Scepter of Grace which God holds out to Esth 4. 11. us now to come in and receive favour the white flag of heaven to bespeak us to yield to Christ and we shall be received into grace and favour And how many of these Jewels doth God set a Sabbath with 3. For farther tenders of life and salvation Let God be praised that still the bargain is driving for eternity every offer of pardon in the Gospel is renewed love the fresh soundings of Gods bowels his heart once more yearning towards the poor soul And is not this worthy our highest thanksgivings The Persians adore every new rising of the Sun and shall not we adore the Lord for repeated tenders of salvation 4. For the liberty of Gods Sanctuary which is his Royal Illustâ—â—t deus faciem suam i. e. lucidâ serenâ benignâ et amicâ facie respiciat ad templum suum et illud instauret Palace to entertain his Saints in where he gives his sweetest and most satisfactory discoveries Psal 73. 17. There are the goings of God Psal 68. 24. There God sheweth his power and shines in his Glory Psal 63. 2. There Gods strength is evidenced and his beauty unmasked Psal 96. 6. And there he causeth his face to shine Dan. 9. 17. which is the most beautifull sight on this side the beatifical vision 5. Let us praise God for the Riches of a Sabbath In this Psal 14. 20. blessed season we enjoy the treasure of his Word without Rom. 3. 2. which we should have been both unholy and unhappy and by its powerfull operations we are made both gracious and glorious and the giver of such a gift deserves the elevations of our praise and we should commemorate it with an Higgaion Selah The light of the Sun Moon and Stars are Gen. 1. 18. of great concernments to men they are the Governours of Joel 3. 15. day and night But the light of Gods Word is of infinite more value The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood Joel 2. 31. but not an Iota of Gods Word shall pass away or perish By the Word the glory and beauty Cur non potest Iota perire quia tunc periret vox et sententia legis ex Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
own heart 3. He instructs those who joyn with him And the tune sweetens it doth not lose the Scripture Counsel we sing to God Singing of Psalmes doth very much advantage us it can sweeten a Prison Acts 16. 25. Paul and Silas by singing chase Ne sit horagratiae coelestis immunis gaudio conventus sobrius sonet Psalmos Cyp. away the terrour of the night lighten the heaviness of the chain enlighten the darkness of the dungeon This divine Service can turn a Prison into a Paradise a place of restraint into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Cyprian well advices us Let not saith he an hour of grace want its joy let serious conventions of Gods people sound forth Psalms before the Lord. This holy service prepares us for sufferings When Christ was ready to be offered up then he sings an Hymne with his Disciples Christ sups and sings and then he sets forward Mat. 26. 30. towards the Cross Joy in the Lord whereof singing is Hoc genus delectationis est animae nostrae valdè cognatum Deus Psalmos constituit ut ex iis simul caperetur utilitas et voluptas Chrys onely the rebound armes us against the dint of suffering He will scarce be sensible of approaching stroaks whose heart is taken up with God and Christ and is in the midst of his Hallelujahs no more then the three Childrens feet were parched when they trod upon flames Chrysostome informs us That God appointed Psalms both for our gain and recreation Thus being wrapt we shall scarce feel the thorne in the flesh This soul reviving duty chases away fears When the Church of Christ was much threatened by Tyrants and those Wolves of the Evenings whose Den was at Rome Among Psalmus 4â— Lutheri Psalmus dicitur others Luther was the white those Archers shot at but in the midst of the greatest fears Luther would call to sing the 46th Psalm which since is called Luthers Psalm Thus did that incomparable man as if singing of Psalms was the holy spell to charm away all griefs and fears the threats of persecutors might raise and procure As perfect love so inward joy casts out fear the triumphing and the trembling of the heart at the same time being inconsistent Whilst we are beginning heaven in this work of Angels as Basil calls Basil de laudibuâ— et virt Psal singing of Psalms we are got above the frowns and fears of the world This heart rejoycing duty can make travels sweet and pleasant it can shorten miles and hasten stages Num. 21. 17. Sive in templum convenimus ad orandum sive ad Agapen sive in domum ad mensam aut cibum nobis metipsis in Psalmâ—â— loquamur Num. 21. 17. A learned man observes That singing holy songs it is the musick of the Temple the pleasure of the feast the delight of the Table and it may be added it is the recreation of the journey The Children of Israel had a wilderness to travel through but they had a God to converse with and sweet ordinances to refresh themselves by they made their journies pleasurous and the change of their stages was onely the variety of their delight singing to the Lord strewed their way with roses This soul-raising duty hath facilitated victories 2 Chron. 20. 22. When the people of Israel began to sing and to praise God the Lord set ambushments against the Children of Ammon 2 Chr. 20. 22. c. Thus singing of Gods praises hath not onely a melody in the Church but a force and a power in the Camp Swords sometimes are no sence against songs when God and Christ are the matter of them Singing of Psalms hath heavenly ends By it we glorifie God Singing it blazons Gods Righteousness Psal 145. 7. By it we bless Gods Name Psal 92. Psal 66. 2. 1. By it we evidence Gods love Psal 47. 6. By it we declare Gods Majesty Isa 24. 14. By it we testifie Gods mercy Isa 12. 2. Psal 89. 1. By it we publish Gods Judgements Psal 101. 1. By it we proclaim Gods power Psal 59. 16. Psal 47. 6. This sacred duty David urgeth with more then ordinary fervency And in this service we joyn confort with the whole Psal 95. 1. Creation The brute and inanimate Creatures praise the Creatour by singing to him The Mountains cannot pray Psal 98. 4. but they can sing Isa 44. 23. The Valleys do not meditate but they sing Psal 65. 13. Singing is the harmony of the Forrest 1 Chron. 16. 33. Singing is the musick of the Grove Psal 104. 12. Nay the Heavens sing Isa 49. 13. And the Earth sings Psal 96. 1. Thus the Quire of all the Creatures bear a part in singing the praises of the Almighty Singing of Psalms is an excellent means to draw out our Graces and they indeed are the musick which make the Cant. 4. 16. harmony they are the spices which flow out with a pleasant and an aromatical sent 1. Singing draws out and exercises our joy Isa 12. 2. The joy of the heart is onely midwiv'd into the World by the songs of the lips 2. Singing draws out our faith The Heathens sing to the Psal 47. 7. vain Idols and we to our Jehovah Sing praise saith the Psalmist to our God Our spiritual songs keep time by the hand of faith And so Tertullian observed as was suggested before The Primitive Christians met before day to sing Hymns to Jesus Christ their dear Redeemer 3. Singing draws out our love Isa 5. 1. We sing most Mat. 26. 30. sweetly in the armes of our beloved Christ sang with his Apostles the Disciples of his bosome Moses sings with the Psal 33. 1. Children of Israel the Brethren of his love When we sing to Christ we sing to him who lies as a bundle of Myrrh between our breasts Cant. 1. 13. It is love dilates the heart it is love sweetens the voice it is love makes the tongue an Semper Mobile Arist instrument of perpetual motion 4. Singing draws out our thanksgiving Isa 38. 20. Singing is onely gratitude put in meeter and set in tune The gratefull person comes with his harp in his hand as Jephtah's Daughter did to congratulate her returning and victorious Prov. 29. 6. Father Judges 11. 34. Singing Psalms only becomes the righteous who shall eternally praise God for the Psal 30. 4. blessings of their salvation by Christ We may sing musically but not joyfully not heartily with unpardoned guilt upon our souls A wicked man is a Parot in this duty he is Prov. 13. 14. onely Satans Nightingale The Prophet saith Isa 65. 14. The Servants of God shall sing for joy of heart Wicked men can have no peace Isa 57. 21. and therefore no joy A grave Divine well observes That praise and psalms well become the Saints who sing with affection reverence and understanding otherwise this duty is as a costly garment which is rich
Momentum unde pendet aeternitas Alap Now if ever this is the Sabbaths Motto This is our moment on which eternity depends Though there be no vacation for sin yet the Sabbath is the Term-time for the Torius mundi opes non conducunt nec sufficiunt ad redimendam unam animulam deperditaÌ„ sed omnes animae sunt redemptae pretio sanguinis Chemn soul the Sabbath is the Mart the Staple the Market for the soul and not to improve this opportunity judiciously savingly spiritually with the greatest intent of mind with the greatest severity of observance with the greatest inclinations and workings of spirit is the highest vanity and prophaneness A slight vain spirit on a Sabbath is like tears and sighs at a Nuptial Feast or laughter and jocularity in the house of mourning On the Lords day we must pray as for our souls hear as for eternity and improve Ordinances as those who are to deal with an infinite God in Ordinances What we do we must do with all our might as Qui rectè currit in Christianismo coron am gloriae accipiet Chrysost the Wise-man speaks Eccles 9. 10. Now especially we must run the race which is set before us and strive to enter in at the strait gate storm heaven that we may take it by force Sweat in our callings is our policy but sweat and labour in holy duties is our wisdom In the duties of the Sabbath 1 Cor. 9. 24. especially we wrestle for a prize we seek for life as those persons who fetched water for David from Bethlehem with Luke 13. 24. hazard and invincible magnanimity Frozen duties will Mat. 11. 12. speak cold answers and a light dead careless frame of spirit only teaches God to withdraw his presence from our 1 Chr. 11. 18. seeming approaches We must pray and hear on a Sabbath as David danced before the Ark with all our might 2 Sam. 6. 14. we must stretch out the hand of faith lift up the 2 Sam. 6. 14. voice of prayer and breath out the longings and anhelations of our souls These heights of spirit do exceedingly become the holy and blessed Sabbath Dir. 5 We must he frugall of the time of the Sabbath The filings of Gold are precious much more the filings of a Sabbath Every minute of a Sabbath is like a pearl small but of great value There are no loose minutes in the Lords day every little parcell of time is a holy fragment which must be gathered up that nothing be lost We must fill John 6. 12. up every space of a Sabbath either with holy thoughts divine meditations ejaculatory prayers reading of the Scriptures or some holy duty correspondent to that holy day Every branch of this consecrated time must bear precious fruit we should in our Sabbath below imitate our Sabbath above and there no time will be lost Not a drop of idleneness in an Ocean of rest Though there will be no pains in glory yet there will be perpetual praises eternall uninterrupted Hallelujahs and there shall be no breach or chasm in our Sabbatum eâ—t sanctum otium Leid Pros everlasting triumphs Indeed the Sabbath is rest from our callings but none from our duties it is an holy leisure for our souls which must not run waste Grains of Musk Fragmentorum collectione et asservatione Christus nos monet frugalitatis ne insumendo et prodigendo bona à deo nobis concessa uno impetu perdamus sed quae supersunt religiosè colligamus et seponamus Lyser are sweet and valuable so are the most minute pieces of a Sabbath The Romans were so ambitious of the Consulship that one Consul dying the last day of his Authority one sued for the remainder of the time whence that memorable speech of Cicero O vigilantem Consulem c. O watchfull Consul who slept not one night in his Authority Such holy ambition we should have for the time of a Sabbath we should sue for the smallest remains of it to improve for soul advantage The Author of the Practice of Piety complains of some who spent their Sabbath or a great part of it in trimming painting and pampering themselves and were like Jezabels doing the Devils work when they should be doing Gods Surely such are the greatest unthrifts Neque dominicis diebus quae sunt hilaritatis praeter sanctitatem aliquid dicere aut facere concedimus Clem. and are guilty of the most prodigious prodigality It was a pious constitution of Clemens That on the Lords day we should give no way to mirth or earthly delight but all our words and facts should savour of holiness Dr. Bound sadly bemoans the custom of some great personages who lay longest in their beds upon Gods holy day and made it a day of pleasing Sabbatum est observandum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flesh which should be a day of sanctified rest And saith this worthy man in an extasie of zeal We must not give our selves to sleeping on this blessed day no more then to surfeting The Prophet Joel tells us On solemn Feasts the Priests were to lie all night in sackcloth Joel 2. 13. And we know Hester spent three nights and three dayes with her Maids in fasting and prayer Hest 4. 10. And can there be a greater solemnity then the Sabbath the day Imperatum suit â— deo ut sanctifices et consecres totum Sabbati diem et in illo toto die divinis vacare possis Zanch. Iren. contr valent for transacting the great affairs of eternity our golden spot of time to get a Christ to get a crown Zanchy observes That the whole of a Sabbath without abatement and curtail is to be consecrated to God Irenaeus one of the morning stars of the Church informs us That the Sabbath doth teach us there ought to be a perseverance and a continuance of a whole day in the service of God And the Council of Paris an assembly of learned men give in their suffrage to this truth in these words Let your eyes and hands be lifted up to God all this day To the same purpose speaks the Council Conc. Turon cap. 40. Calv. in Deut. Serm. 34. Muscul in quartum praeceptum Pet. Martyr in Gen. 2. of Turon But I shall not over-load or clog the Reader with humane testimonies Let me only subjoyn the attestation of incomparable Calvin This day saith he is not ordained for us only to come to a Sermon but to the end that we may employ the rest of our time to laud and praise God Here we may take up that of the Prophet Mat. 1. 14. Cursed is the deceiver And this is too much to imitate Ananias and Saphira to keep back part of the price of a blessed Sabbath Acts 5. 2. God will not have us to divide the Sabbath between himself and our selves this is to make a separation between God and us Gods day must be spent in
Heaven In a word they should be in the spirit which duty must first look upwards We should strive to be in the assistances of the Spirit Holy duties without the holy Spirit are onely the carcasses of Religion like profession without practice which is offensive and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost useless such services bring neither glory to God advantage to our selves or benefit to others and all are of no more significancy then a body when the spirits are fled away On the morning therefore we must incessantly beg the divine assistances of Gods blessed Spirit It is the Spirit fits for Magistratical Luke 11. 13. dignities Num. 11. 25 26. It is the spirit fits for ministerial Numb 27 18. services 2 Kings 2. 9. and it is the spirit fits us all for Christian and holy duties The Spirit directs us unto holy duties Simeon came into the Temple by the spirit Luke 2. 27. the good spirit directed him to meet Jesus How often doth Gods spirit excite and provoke to holy Prayer to secret meditation and to those close devotions wherein the soul tasteth deepest of Christs flaggons and apples This inward Counsellour is often Cant. 2 5. restless in us till it â—end our knees lift up our hands and raise our hearts in sacred approaches to the divine Majesty The Spirit leads the Saint into solitariness to converse with God as once it did lead Christ into the Wilderness to be temped Mat. 4. 1. of Satan this divine principle with us is importunate Luke 4. 1. till it put us upon enquiries after God The holy Spirit quickens us in duties John 6. 63. and makes us lively and vigorous Corrupt nature takes off the wheeles in holy services flaggs and casts a damp upon us in Christus dicitur non spiritus vivens sed vivificans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus vitarum Theoph. such heavenly intercourse but the Spirit oyles the wheeles to make them go with greater speed When the soul is carried out by the Spirit how full is it of holy heaâ— divine zeal and rare enlargement as if of late it had conversed with a Seraphim his tongue is the pen of a ready writer Psalm 45. 2. and his heart is like a bubbling Fountain he melts in prayer as the Cloud into drops Paul assisted by this good Spirit runs on till midnight Acts 20. 7. and knows not how to break off his sacred discourses And our ever 1 Cor. 15. 45. to be admired Saviour raised and quickned by the same spirit wrestles with God in prayer all night Luke 6. 12. the very arteries of that duty were stretched out by that divine Spirit which was given to Christ without measure John 3. 34. The Spirit then is the animation of our holy performances without which they saint and die away The holy Spirit sustains us in holy duties Psal 51. 12. Mans spirit would quickly fail in wrestling with God was it Spiritus promptus scil graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraicè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alacâ—iter festinans Lyrus habet duo vocabulà Dolanta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ucundus not under-propt by this good Spirit The most sparkling wine if it stand long it will grow flat and dead And though the spirit of man be willing Mat. 26. 41. yet while it is in the body it will be soon tired and flag in holy duties which are so contrary to corrupt flesh but then the Divine Spirit comes in and renews poor mans strength like the Eagle and so he runs through holy services and faints not the annointing of the Spirit makes him agill and fresh and holy Ordinances are not his burden but his satisfaction Believers offer their sacrifices as Christ did himself Heb. 9. 14. through the eternal Spirit who recruits them continually with additional strength and vivacity The blessed Spirit causeth us to overflow in holy duties Job 32. 18. Our rich enlargements in Prayers and other Gospel services are from the good spirit of God when the heart Psalm 45. 1. bubbles and runs over in holy discourse and when the Eructans cor significat cordis locutionem cum nondum ad os pervenit et querit illam emittere circum volvitur et movetur huc et illuc et volutatur egressum quaerens quem prae gaudio non primo impeâ—u invenit c. Felix Praton mind flutters and flyes high in holy meditation and when our affections dilate and follow hard after Jesus Christ all this is from the Spirits gracious and divine assistance 2 Cor. 3. 16. It is the holy Spirit spreads our duties like Gold to greater extensions and oftentimes makes the Saint in duty query whether he be in the body or out of the body 2 Cor. 12. 2. His heart is like the squeezed Grapes overflowing with wine which is better then the drink of Angels It was the Spirit enlarged Solomons heart in that divine Prayer at the dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8. 22 23. It was the Spirit enlarged Daniels heart in Prayer to hasten deliverance from the Babylonish captivity Dan. 9. 4. It was the Spirit enlarged Jonah s heart in Prayer when the Whales belly was consecrated into an Oratory Numb 18. 27. Jonah 2. 2. It is the Lords good Spirit which makes mans Deut. 15. 14. heart as the gushing streams or the over-flowing Fat or the Numb 18 30. dropping Wine-press in services Evangelical John 3. 8. It is the Spirit sweetens duty As Christ when he was at prayer rejoyced in spirit Luke 10. 21. Duties are sadned by mans sin but are refreshed by Gods Spirit David acted Mat. 17. 1 2. by this blessed Principle delighted so much in duty Luke 9. 29. that he begs to spend his whole life in the Temple of God Psal 27. 4. Ordinances become mellifluous by the concomitancy of Gods Spirit which often turneth them into a transfiguration As it is reported of Basil that when Greg. Orat. de laud. Bas the Emperour came upon him while he was at prayer he saw such lustre in the face of holy Basil that he was struck with terrous and fell backwards It is the Spirit ravishes the Fructus spirituâ— est gaudium sed impura voluptas est similis voluptati quâ afficiunâ—â— scabiosi cum se scalpunt Chrys heart indulcorates and captivates the soul in holy duty and toucheth the tongue with a Coal from the Altar Isa 6. 6 7. which turns all into a perfumed flame The Apostle saith the fruit of the spirit is joy Gal. 5. 22. which is never so fresh and diffusive as in holy services Ordinances are the spiritual opportunities wherein the Comforter John 14. 16. sheds abroad his comforts in the soul It is the Spirit which helps our infirmities in holy duties As in Prayer Rom. 8. 26 27. so in other spiritual services When we are flat the Spirit quickens us when
we are contracted as a ship becalmed the Spirit fills our sails which is that VVind which bloweth where it listeth John 3. 8. Spiritus sanctus postulat i. e. postulare et gemere facit est hebraismus quo kal ponitur pro Hiphil Ansel When we are sad and dejected the Spirit consolates and chears us and flushes us with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. Oftentimes we cannot lanch forth in a duty the Spirit then helps us off from the sands Many times we are dull in hearing and then the Spirit opens the heart Acts 16. 14. and makes us vigorous and attentive And when we are at a loss in Prayer the Spirit puts life into our dead duty and makes us groan a sign of Sex modis in orando erratur primò si bonum temporale petimus animae nociturum Secundò si à malo aliquo quod prosit nobis liberari oremus Tertiò siquid petamus ex ambitione ut filii Zebedaei petebant primus in regno Christi quartò si quid petamus ex zelo indiscreto ut filii Zebedaei optabant ignem de caelo manasse in Sâ—maritanos Christum respuentes quinto si petatur ardentius quod utilius est differri sextò si petamus statum nobis incongruum life and furnisheth us with suitable petitions to accost and lay siege to the throne of Grace And when we are weak and stagger in a holy duty the Spirit takes us by the hand and sets us with fresh strength to finish our service the Spirit corrects all our errours in holy duties A learned man observes there are six great errours in Prayer 1. When we petition some temporal good to the disadvantage of the soul 2. When we earnestly desire the removal of some affliction which conduceth much to the good of the soul 3. When we ask something out of ambition as the sons of Zebedee that they might have a primâ—cy in the Kingdome of Christ 4. When we petition any thing out of an indiscrete zeal as the sons of Zebedee requested fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritans who would not entertain Christ Luke 9. 54. 5. When we are earnest for that which it was better it was delayed that by this delay our prayers may be more importunate and our perseverance may be more fully discovered 6. When we beg that state of life in this World which God sees inconvenient for us Now the Spirit correct all these errours and is the Censor of our miscarriage in duty He maketh us more wise more humble more heavenly more self-resigning more patient in duty The guidances of the Spirit are the Pole-star to direct us in every Ordinance and holy service The Spirit is our advocate within us John 14. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek which fits us with holy pleas to sue with when we address our selves to God and carries out the heart to urge its case with greater earnestness with great weight and authority The Spirit is the President of our duties to guide the soul that it write fair without blot In a word The Spirit helpeth our infirmities in duty Not a good Angel as Lyra Not a spiritual man a Minister as Chrysostome Not spiritual Grace as Ambrose Not Charity as Chrysost tract in Joan. Augustine But it is the Holy Ghost as Pareus And this blessed Spirit helpeth us as the Nurse helpeth a little Child holding it by the â—â—â—eve As the old man is stayed by his staffe or rather â—â—â—peth together as that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 26. seems to imply being a Metaphor taken from one who is to lift a great weight and being too weak another claspeth hands with him and helps him So the Spirit is ready to relieve us in all our spiritual duties The holy Spirit succeeds and prospers our holy duties It makes our duties prevalent with God God attends when we sing in the spirit God hears when we pray in the spirit Ephes 2 18. as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 14. 15. VVhen this Dove moanes within us Rom. 8. 26. God understands the groans of his own Spirit and will give seasonable answers God Donum et efficacia orationis non in verbis sed in gemitâ— desiderio affectu et suspiriis ignitis consistit Alap gives his Spirit to assist in these duties which he fore-determines to accept Man speaketh words in prayer but the Spirit raises groans Alapide observes God is not so pleased with locution as affection in that holy duty not so much with expressions as inexpressible sighs which are as incense in his acceptation As the smoak of that Cloud a sign of Gods smile and favour Isa 4. 5. A duty spirited by the Holy Ghost shall never fail an expected end for God knows the mind of his Spirit as the Syriack reads it Rom. 8. 27. As the Mother knows the groanes and cries of her tender Child and presently runs to help it and to give it what it wants and cries for The Spirit is our intercessour within us as Christ is our intercessour above us whose pleas shall 1 John 2. 1 2. not meet with a denial The Spirit moving upon the waters Gen. 1. 2. produced a World and brought forth living Creatures The Spirit moving upon the Word the dispensations of the Gospel causes the New Creation and makes living Christians O then when we come under the Word and are in the midst of the waters of the Sanctuary let us wait for the good spirit of the Lord Other Birds drive away but let the Dove come in Pareus observes Suspiria perturbata semper exaudiuntur Primó Quid sunt suspiria spiritus Secundò Quia semper spiritus interpellat juxta placitum et voluntatem dei Pat. that the groans of the Spirit within us shall not vanish into ayr and that upon a double account 1. Because the Spirit comes from God John 15. 26. and is his Commissioner in a gracious soul and he will not deny his Leiger in a Saint 2. The Spirit always intercedes according to the good will and pleasure of the Lord And pleasing petitions shall not meet with a repulse what suits with the heart of God shall open the hand of God Congruous desires shall be conquering desires The Spirit makes duties effectual to us That Prayer which is animated by the Spirit shall not onely gain upon Gods heart but melt ours If the Spirit open our heart in hearing we shall attend to the Word and savingly entertain it When Christ by the Spirit opened the understanding of the Acts 16. 14. two Disciples Luke 24. 45. then they dived into Gospel mysteries and understood fully what was fulfilled concerning the death of the Messiah When the Spirit brings home a Sermon he makes it fire to burn up the dross of the soul Jer. 5. 14. he makes it a hammer to break the hardness of the soul Jer. 23. 29. he makes it
wonder then Intus est in corde est Sabbatum nostrum Aug. if St. Augustine cry out Our Sabbath is within in our hearts There indeed is the musical spring of joy Let us take heed of grieving the spirit Eph. 4. 30. No fountain casts out sweet and bitter water a grieved spirit will not dash joyes upon the soul the mournful Dove flies Offenditur spiritus verbis putidis etiam quo vis peccato Hier. away We must cherish the graces if we will possess the joyes of the spirit The birds sing most sweetly in the spring when every thing is fresh and green Gods spirit in the soul yields its freshest delights among flourishing graces when the Peccata sunt injuriae contumeliae spquae eum contristantur Alap seared boughs of corruption are broken down Sin and vanity break the strings of the spirits musick and chase away the Comforter from our coasts as birds hushed away leave the place of their present abode Let us not suspend our answer to the spirits excitations Let us listen to every motion and apply our selves to every counsel of this inward Monitor Slighted advocates plead no more we must hearken to every whisper of the Holy Ghost who first commands and then comforts To stir up to holy duties to good works to circumspect walking is the office of the spirit but to ravish the soul with divine delights is the reward of the spirit Observe holy David Psal 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts delight my soul He was now acting the duty of meditation and then the spirit besprinkled him with dews of joy A Deus per essentiem est totus consolatio immò Mare Oceanus consolationis quem in servos suos etiam in hac vitâ effundit learned man saith God is an Ocean of consolation Let not our sin and disobedience be such banks and ramparts that this Sea cannot overflow us with complacential effusions Obedience indeed and duty make way for the streams of spirituall comfort And to our case let us keep the Sabbath circumspectly and we shall keep it comfortably Let us follow the spirit in every duty obey the dictates of the spirit in every Ordinance When the spirit prompts us to prayer let us tune our hearts to that duty and not fold our hands in sloth and negligence when the spirit suggests to Prov. 6. 10. us the import of an Ordinance let us not be slight and careless in that holy institution and let us consider the motions Prov. 24. 33. of the spirit go before the melodies of the spirit And thirdly Let us study to be in the spirit on the Lords day This duty must Look downwards we must avoid whatsoever opposeth the spirit whatsoever may quench that celestial flame 1 Thes 5. 19 We must on the Sabbath lay aside all temporal cares Cares at all times are thorns Mat. 13. 22. But on a Sabbath they are thorns in a flame not only scratching but scorching Indeed the Lords day is not without its cares but they are heavenly not worldly cares care to please the spirit not to please the flesh care to lay up treasures in heaven not to fill our coffers below The soul then must be Divina benedictio Sabbati est quâ sibi deus studia occupationes asserit Calv. cared for how to prepare it for duty how to pacifie it with pardon how to beautifie it with grace how to fit it for eternity Head and heart must be at work on the Sabbath but it must be for the soul not for the outward man But to set our servants on work in our callings to be in our counting Mat. 16. 26. house to contrive business for the following week on Gods holy day this is not only to defile the Sabbath but to affront providence as if God who takes care for the Lillies of the field Mat. 6. 30. could not provide for the strict observers of his holy day We must throw away all worldly thoughts How many are there whose thoughts are as fresh and affections as vigorous towards the world upon the Sabbath day as if they were trading in their shops walking in the Exchange or Exod. 8. 24. posting their Books and pursuing their bargains I may say to such as the Lord to Satan Zach. 3. 2. The Lord rebuke Plaga muscarum fuit foedo colluvies quae fuit numerosa et molestissima immò et nocentissima et ideo molestissima quia numerosissima Riv. thee what is this but to turn time into a chaos where there is no distinction between light and darkness between the Egypt of the week and the Goshen of the Sabbath This day is a day of light life and salvation and shall worldly thoughts that judgment of lice or flies stain and ecclipse it Worldly imaginations on this day they are the sacriledge of the mind the worm at the root of duty the souls destructive avocation the Shibboleth of a covetous man the bluster and gross miscarriage of a Christian they are the souls imprisonment when it should be enlarged in the way of Gods Ordinances We must take heed of unnecessary diversions The heart is wholly to be set on God on his own day One observes The Law is spiritual and so is the fourth Commandment and is not fully obeyed by outward conformity but it requires the Rom. 7. 14. inward truth and bent of the heart Happily we shut up Psal 51. 6. our shops on a Sabbath so the Law of the Land commands but do we shut up our hearts on a Sabbath that nothing unseemly may intrude Do we bring our hearts and Christ together and lock them both in that nothing may interrupt their sweet and mutual intercourse It is a vain thing to dissemble with God on his own day He can unriddle and will judge our splendid and varnished artifices Let us not play the hypocrites but walk in the spirit the whole stage of Rom. 8. 2. the Sabbath To keep our doors close is an empty ceremony unless we keep our hearts close to God and Christ in Ordinances in Family and secret duties Diverting imaginations are the cobwebs of the mind the sores which In dic Sabbati ab omnibus aliis curis et studiis omninò obstinendum est Gual fester the heart as Dalilah her smiles did Samson and so entangle the soul that it cannot enjoy its freedom with Christ on his own blessed day Such divertisements disturb the Musick of Ordinances and eat out the profit of holy Communion with God if we will be working on a Sabbath Let us work out our salvation with fear and trembling Augustine Phil. 2. 12 13. Aug. de temp Serm. 251. speaks most excellently in one of his Sermons That we may be fit and ready for Gods service on his own day there must be nothing to cumber us and we at that time must cast off the interposition of worldly
man Toil and labour is mans Scutchion and the first Arms he gives The bird doth not fly more naturally then man should toil Man in his innocency was to dress the Garden ever since the fall he is to dig it All creatures read a Lecture against idleness The Sun is swift in its travel the stars speedy in their motion the fire flies upward not a little spark but is upon its flight The beasts of the field do our work carry our burdens they are active for the service of man The wise-man sends us to the Ant and the Pismire to learn industry Prov. 6. 6. Prov. 30. 25. These little creatures are the confutation of sloth and idleness Idleness will much inhance and imbitter our account God hath not endow'd the soul with quick and sparkling faculties and the body with strength and potency and all in vain Qui nobis vires idoneas ad laborandum suppeditavit ille in die judicii parem quoque à nobis in laborando industriam reposcet Bas Basil positively determines He who hath given us apt and fit strength in the judgment day will expect an account of a sutable industry There is strength for labour and there must be sweat in labour Idleness is the Nurse and Pander of corruption Augustine observes that Rome decayed and fell after Carthage was conquered because it wanted a Competitor to find it employment Chrysostom asked the Question What advantage doth the ship bring which lyeth upon the shoar or the sword which hangs up and rusts in the hall c. When David rose Chrysost hom 35. in Acta Apostol from his slothful bed then his corruption caught fire which turned into such a flame that it scorched both himself and 2 Sam. 11. 2. his family But idleness on a Sabbath day lies under greater aggravations It is not the spawn but the Serpent it is not the Cockatrice egg but the Cockatrice Let us trace it a little Idleness on Gods day is a dishonour to the Author of it What honour can accrew to God by an idle and lazy rest Is the Minister graced by sleepy Auditors It is the weeping eye the bended knee the praising tongue the working heart brings honour to the Almighty Shall an oscitant and sleepy worshipper pay the tribute of a dream Shall the glory of God be promoted by frequenting the Wakes walking the fields for recreation frivolous communication or any other such method of idleness on his own blessed day Surely the disciples of Bacchus can act as much solemnity to their jocular idol Idleness on the Sabbath is only an invitation to Satan to forge temptations and to make his attempts Standing waters putrifie When we stand stiâ—â— we give the better aim for Pugnat cum hoc praeâ—epto diem sacrum consumere ignavo otiâ— Ger the adversary to shoot Satan hath his full scope against a lazy sinner Indeed he that doth nothing will soon do evil He that sits at the door on a Sabbath will soon be drawn to a Tavern Holy services are a Bulwark against Satan and his attempts are rather troubles then temptations The Psalmist observes That wicked men devise mischief Psal 36. 4â— upon their beds When they are at ease then they lie opâ—n to Satans assaults Gerard worthily takes notice That to spend Gods holy day in idleness is a contradiction to the very command Communion with God is our close guard and Satan then must leave us as he did Christ Mat. 4. 11. Or get behind us as our Saviour spake to Peter Mat. 16. 23. It is the calm stops the ship in its voyage and laziness on a Sabbath is the remora which stops our sailing to the Port of glory To be idle on a Sabbath is to invert nature and as Heliogabalus the Roman Emperour to turn day into night Thus viz. in idleness We may serve God as well sleeping as waking Psal 22. 2. in the shades of the night as within the veil of the Sanctuary Psal 134. 1. We need not the lamp of the Sun to light us to do Psal 77. 6. nothing David tells us of his services and duties by night Psal 119. 55. Psal 63. 6. but not of his sloth by day especially on Gods day Should we run out our Sabbath in idleness God had no need to have added day to the Sabbath in the fourth Commandment night had been as good for carnal rest is a property affixed to that season To be idle on this holy day is a great loss of time Subbaths are our golden spot of time and idleness takes off the gold from this spot The Sabbath is our term for our souls and it is frenzy to loyter in our term Indeed we may say of Sabbaths as Jacob once said of his Children If we are bereaved we are bereaved Gen. 43. 14. If we lose our Sabbaths what salvâ— have we that we should not lose our souls Lyra observes out of one of the Rabbies That the double offering was so proper to the Sabbath that if it was at any Lyra in Numer time omitted it could not be supplied on other Sabbath days One pertinently adds And there is good reason for it for every Sabbath day must be kept holy Take notice all ye vain and idle persons who waste your precious and irrevocable Sabbaths The Sabbath is most properly the day our Saviour speaks of John 9. 4. in which we must work for the night comes and then no man shall work And in this that of the wise man is most true Prov. 19. 15. The idle person shall suffer hunger Idleness if it get into our hands it will ruine our house Eccles 10. 18. If it get into our tongues it will hazzard our souls Mat. 12. 36. If it seize on our persons it loseth our Sabbaths we trifle away the day and we catch nothing To be idle on the Sabbath swerves from the pattern It is true God rested on the Sabbath Gen. 2. 2. but it is as Divines speak from the production of new species and kinds of creatures he rested from his creating work but not from A creatione novarum specierum cessavit et quievit deus Muscul his governing work from new productions but not from his constant providence for our Saviour saith expresly Joh. 5. 17. The Father worketh hitherto and I work And so must we rest from our secular works on a Sabbath but not from our spiritual To be idle on a Sabbath is a contradiction to our perfect and most absolute pattern Idleness is inconsistent to the Divine Majesty as being an evil Musculus decries it as a great errour to think deum ociari that God is now idle Solem deus semel creavit sed hunc quotidiè oriri facit hominem ex terrâ semel condidit sed adhuc hominem fingit in in utero materno because he hath finished the worlds Creation No but God still propagates moderates perserves and governs his
expietur Greg. M. lib. 11. Epist 3. of complacency variety of choice voices please the ear variety of curious colours delight the eye variety of sweet dainties is acceptable to the tast and so varieâ—y of holy duties make a Sabbath gratefull and complacential God hath set forth his worship in several services that it might be the more pleasing and the less wearisome Sometimes on a Sabbath we are praying to him for the supply of our necessities sometimes we are praising of him for his own infinite excellencies Sometimes the ear is busied in hearing truth sometimes the Dies dominicus est dies panis per Eucharistiam Athan. hand in giving almes sometimes the eye in weeping tears sometimes the knee in doing homage alwayes the heart in willing obedience Thus the same meat is dressed several wayes to make it more delightfull and pleasing to the pallate To see several towns pleaseth the traveller and makes Dies dominicus est dies lucis per baptismum Chrysost his journey the less tedious and the more recreative In Sabbath worship the bending of the knee is relieved by the hearing of the ear and the hearing of the ear by the singing of the tongue and the service of the tongue may be refreshed Die dominico pro arbitrio quisque suo quod visum est contribuat et charitatem suam deponat and relieved by the contemplations of the mind So then the Sabbath cannot be tedious whose duties are so various Several birds singing make the Grove a common musick room That soul must needs distast every Ordinance which cannot be pleased with variety Just Mart. 10. But no further to amplifie the vanity of these objectours who put this case I shall now a little rectifie their mistake by shewing them how flesh and blood may keep a whole Sabbath spiritually and sweetly to God Let them be earnest in prayer for the spirit of grace this is that principle which can turn the soul to any point that spirit which can guide our way Rom. 8. 1. which can produce the new Creature John 3. 5. which can fill our sails John 3. 8. which can heal our Natures 1 Cor. 6. 11. which can help our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. that spirit which can Acts 16. 14. open the eyes to behold Acts 26. 18. and can open the heart Joh. 7. 38. 39. to embrace Gospel mysteries 1 Cor. 2. 14. that spirit can sweeten Ordinances and accommodate our souls to them that Spiritualia spiritualitèr examinantur et spiritualis judicat omnia qui spiritum rectorem animae habet Doctorem Ansel the streams of a Sabbath may run smoothly without the stop of weariness or storm of discontent The spirit of God can fit our spirits to the things of God and where there is no disparity there can be no dissatisfaction Indeed the Ordinances are the ship and the spirit is the wind As the ship of an ordinance cannot move without the wind of the spirit so the wind of the spirit will not blow without the ship of an Ordinance but when the wind carries on the ship it is pleasant and delightful sailing Therefore let John 3. 8. these Objectours beg the spirit and we have an assured promise to encourage us Luke 11. 13. Let those who put this case which now hath been ventilated and discussed consider our present Sabbaths are Sabbatum est sabbatisini primordium initiale benificae fruitionis odoramentum only the first fruits of an eternal Sabbath The Spring is pleasant though not so fruitfull as the Harvest Our present dayes of grace have their glory and their verdure though not elevated to the raptures of heaven Sabbaths are heavenly dayes though not heavenly eternities Now our Saviour bids us rejoyce at the putting out of the leaf for then Summer draws near Mat. 24. 32. This should silence all scruples of a floathfull heart Sabbaths are golden though little spots they are pensions of grace though not portions of glory they are earnests of better things and he that is to receive the summ will not easily be weary in telling of the earnest The Israelites rejoyced in the Clusters before they came to the Vintage Numb 13. 23 24. Our precious Sabbaths are Cant. 1. 14. our clusters of Camphire before we come to the mountanes of Spices Think not a Sabbath tedious which is only a little stream running into the Ocean of Eternal Glory Such should do well to study their wants more and their ease less Their necessities call for every Ordinance of Grace which fills up the time of a Sabbath their empty cruze Mat. 6. 11. calls for the duty of Prayer their dark understandings call Hos 6. 3. for the Ordinance of hearing their faint graces call for the Isa 25. 6. feast of a Sacrament their sadned spirits call for the joyous Jam. 5. 13. service of singing Psalmes their ignorant Families call for Gen. 18. 19. the duty of Catechizing and their frail memeries call for the Phil. 3. 1. seasonable recruit of Repetition and when these Services are faithfully and spiritually performed the time of a Sabbath Eadem scribere dicit Apostolus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tutum Ambrosius verò inquit est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessarium Ambr. flies away and there is no room for the objection of flesh and blood We are much provoked to see Beggars lie sunning themselves in ease and laziness Let these Objectors pass industriously and chearfully through the Ordinances of a Sabbath or else find some other way for the supply of the necessities of their souls But thus much for the fourth Case Case 5 What shall we do when after our serious attendance upon Ordinances on Gods holy day we taste no sweetness in them Saepe etiam pi is successus in laboribus vocationis denegatur non malè sed certo consilio dei cùm verò Petrus sine successu laborasset non ex impatientiâ murmurat non rejicit vocationem Chemnit nor reap any advantage from them It was once the complaint of the Disciples that they toyled all night and could catch nothing Luke 5. 5. The Saints labours in this life are not alwayes successful they may plow upon a Rock and sow the Seed though presently they do not reap the Harvest Beautiful Rachel was barren for a time and she who had so much comliness had no Child Answers to prayer are not alwayes on the speed but sometimes they are suspended and many wait on God in a Sabbath and yet in the evening do not carry their sheaves with them Psal 126. 6. they may toyle all the Sabbath in the fire of Ordinances and yet not for the present be sensible of their melting and refining power But what shall be done in this case Answ 1 Such should examine themselves whether they bring not too much of the world with them to Sabbath opportunities Happily when they are at
data sunt Talmud Hierosolym Isa 66. 3. Psal 50. 16. 3. And they were to look to their conversations to see them clean before they took the Law of God into their mouths Psal 26. 6. And their neglect of this duty in after-times highly provoked the Lord Isa 1. 12 13. 4. They had a high esteem of the assemblies of the faithful as holy Convocations Levit. 23. 3. And they looked on the place of their meeting as the house of God 1 Chron. 9. Psal 27. 4. 27. And thought those blessed who dwelt there Psal Psal 84. 1 2. 84. 4. 5. When they were going to the place of worship it was Mic. 4. 2. with singular affection Psal 26. 8. and vehement longing Psal 42. 2. 6. It was customary among them to excite one another to approach to God in holy and solemn worship The Pastors stirred up the people Jer. 31. 6. And the people stirred up one another Jer. 50. 4 5. And the parties excited were glad thereof Psal 122. 1. 7. Joy and praise made their way to the house of God Psal 42. 4. 8. When they entred into the Congregation they worshipped at the very gate Ezek. 46. 3. They kissed the Datum est Sabbatum ad meditandum in lege dei Aben Ezr. in cap. 20 Exod. very portal where Gods honour dwelt So zealous and devout when time was was this poor people 9. When they departed they would carry a blessing with them 2 Chron. 30. 27. 10. After the dismission they did meditate on what they heard Psal 1. 2. if at all times much more on this blessed day And they did not survey what they heard in a secret contemplation but in a serious examination Acts 17. 11. They searched the Scriptures afterwards touching those things in which they were taught The Scriptures were their golden Mine not only to look upon in meditation but to search into by scrutiny and holy discussion 11. When they were come home from publick Ordinances Deut. 11. â—9 they taught their Children For this was a charge laid upon them daily much more on Gods day Deut. 6. 6 7. Exod. 31. 14 15. And if they were to teach their Children when they walked by the way much more when they came from a Sermon heated with the incense of holy duties 12. Oâ— this holy Sabbath they were to charge their meditations with their deliverance from Egypt Deut. 5. 14 15. And to think on the sanctifying power of God Ezek. 20. 20. And to contemplate on the eternal rest the everlasting Sabbath which was to come and to see in all things they delighted in the Lord and accounted his day honourable and denyed all their own thoughts and delights and works on this blessed day Isa 58. 13. Let us go and do so likewise Isa 58. 14. as our Saviour speaks in another case Luke 10. 17. And when we deviate in Sabbath duties let us take this glass and so mend our dress The Jews carriage was most remarkable on their Sabbath in the multiplicity of their services 1. They had preparatory work which hath already been touched upon and therefore no further to be pursued 2. They had legal sacrifices to offer both forenoon and afternoon and these sacrifices were to be doubled on the Num. 28. 9 10. Sabbath They had their burnt offerings their meat offerings their drink offerings besides the incense which was Quod spectat ad usum Altaris aurei debuit in singulis diebus mane et vespere in eo suffitum offerri ab Aarone et ejus successoribus Rivet to be burnt on the Altar both Morning and Evening Exod. 30. 7 8. And this offering of incense is a perpetual service throughout their Generations And to this offering up of incense David alludes Psal 141. 2. 3. They had spiritual duties to perform holy prayers to pour forth Dan. 9. 21. Luke 1. 10. Holy Scriptures to read holy instructions to give to their Children and Servants holy meditation to entertain holy Sacraments to administer Sometimes the Passeover John 19. 36. And often Nehem. 8. 5. the Circumcision John 7. 22. Their spiritual duties Luke 4. 20. like stars did shine in the firmament of their Sabbath to render it bright and glorious Nehem. 8. 3. 4. They had works of charity to act And these were of two sorts 1. Either to brute creatures for the Lord allowed them to lead their Ox and their Asse to watering Luke 13. 15. to make their lives more comfortable 2. Or Secondly to themselves they had liberty to provide for their placid and chearful performances of holy duties But most principally they had Collections for â—he poor on the Sabbath which the Scripture mentions Luke 21. 1 Mark 12. 41. Deinde edicitur nequis sit impedimento Judaeis caetus aut collectus facientibus aut Hyerosolyâ—â—a eas mittentibus more patrio Phil. Jud. in legat ad Caâ—â—n Cesarem 2. And Philo Judaeus in his Apology to the Emperour Caius Caligula stands much upon this service of theirs for the justification of the Brethren of his Religion and recapitulates it as a priviledge granted them by Caesar Augustus Thus we may observe how busie the Jews were in running through the several stages of duty till they came to the end of their Sabbath No wonder then if one of their Rabbies called idleness on a Sabbath a notable errour The Jews carriage on the Sabbath was remarkable in the continuance of their services They began their Sabbath betimes and ended it late We read they came early on the Psal 139. 9. morning to the temple Luke 21. 38. they did fly to holy duties upon the wings of the morning that no Sabbath time Luke 21. 38. John 8. 2. John 18. 20. might run waste And this their earliness is taken notice of in three several places of Scripture to shew how pleasing it was Christ rose early to teach John 8. 2. and the people Deut. 32. 2. rose early to bath their souls in that morning dew which fell from heaven And the Scripture records this early resort was no fit of novelty but their constant and continual practice John 18. 20. And if it be said But happily their service passed away as the dew which is soon dried up it is answered it is thought most probably that the Jews did Convenimus semper et curcti magno silentio utuntur nisi ad laudem doctorum nec aliquis verbum emittit Sacerdos unus è senioribus legem recitat et exponit et hoc fit ad totum diem usque ad crepusculum Deindo abeunt et sacrarum litterarum peritiores et pietate multò munitiores Euseb de Praepar Evan lib. 8. cap. 2. ex Philon hold out from the beginning to the ending without any intermission there was no breaking up of the Congregation till all was done Acts 13. 43. Nehem. 8. 8 9. But Philo one of the most eminent among the Jews gives